Bleached Fantasy
by Knight-XIII
Summary: Soifon has just passed her SeeD field exam. Now she and her team must work together to stop a Mad Man from bringing destruction to the world... uses many themes from FFVIII A/U Yorusoi.
1. SOICHAN!

Chapter One: SOI-CHAN

Ok first off:

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively. Like I could ever come up with anything as fantastic as either of these two franchises.

So yeah I've been in a slump with my other fic, so I decided to take a time out and try out another story, this just would not leave me alone until I wrote it down…

A word of **WARNING **to those who do not enjoy **YURI**, this is exactly that. There will be a **YURI **paring, so if you don't like that type of thing then please **LEAVE** by pressing the **BACKSPACE BUTTON**. Should I get a flame or other form of random hate mail I will report you, since I really don't feel in the mood to deal with morons right now, and haters shouldn't have read this in the first place… It makes one wonder what the hell you're doing here in the first place… Sorry if I sound rude, I actually don't wish to offend anyone that's why I'm warning you all now.

To all others welcome to my first attempt at both Bleach and Final Fantasy, though mostly Bleach. I hope you enjoy the first chapter; second one will follow in a few days time.

Setting: Set in Final Fantasy VII's world, with Bleach characters.

* * *

"_Why?" sobbed a tiny voice in the dark void, "Why did you have to leave me here all alone… why?"_

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Retsu Unohana asked her patient as she woke up.

The petite cadet placed her hand to her head wondering how she got to the med bay. All she remembered was that bastard's sword coming at her at an alarming rate, and then pain followed after by darkness.

"Che I'll get him next time." Soifon swore under her breath as she tried to get up, only to be stopped by a hand placed over her chest pushing her back down on the bed.

"Take it easy ok. It seems that Aizen got in a well placed hit in that little sparing game of yours." Dr. Unohana explained as she removed her hand, only to lift it to Soi's head where a bandage covered the bump on her head.

"It seems that you gave as go as you got." She continued as she then moved her hand to the bandage on Soifon's right cheek, "Though this little cut he left as a parting gift won't be going away any time soon…" Unohana sighed.

"Next time take it easy, or you may not be as lucky." She then scolded as she felt sure there was no mortal danger to the young cadet.

"Che… tell that to Aizen." Soifon glowered hating the fact that she was sent to the med bay while that jerk was off prancing around like the asshole that he was.

"Hmm… he does have a tendency not to listen to anyone doesn't he, but you still should have ignored him." Soifon stiffened at that suggestion.

"I couldn't just runaway like that." She whispered her hands clenched into fists, as Unohana stood up from her stool after making sure that her patient was fine. Unohana took a moment to study the young woman before her, as she lay in bed. The cadet was in normal civilian wear consisting of black combat shoes, black jeans with yellow belt loosely set, a black tank top with black armguards, a white jacket with a large diamond outline and kanji two in the center on the back of it, and to top off the look the young woman had twin braids in her hair that went to the center of her back with two metal hoops hanging on each end. All in all Unohana thought the girl looked much too serious, but there was nothing she could do about it. It was a known fact that cadet Soifon was as serious as they came, and nothing and no one would ever be able to change that about her.

"Just don't overdo it next time ok? Now just rest up and I'll have your instructor come and get you…" Unohana sighed as she left the girl to make the call.

_"I promise to always protect you…"_

"_I'll never leave your side…"_

"_Why… why did you have to leave me here all alone?"_

* * *

"SOI-CHAN! I'M HERE TO PICK YOU UP SO WAKE UP! Soifon cringed at the loud singsong voice of the one person she despised more than Aizen himself. "SOI-Cha-" Kisuke Urahara was abruptly cut off when a bedpan smacked the center of his forehead with a loud bang.

"Shut up you moron, and don't call me that!" Soifon seethed as she stood over her twitching instructor, sword magically in hand and pointed at him in a threatening way. Urahara, not one to take things personally, shook his head and stood and dusted off his strange hat and jacket.

"But that's your name Soi-chan." He pouted as he looked to his young student, who was practically spitting fire at the suffix he attached to her name. He just loved to annoy her since she was so serious all the time. The poor girl needed to loosen up once-in-awhile, and he had found the perfect way in doing that. The only drawback was that his life was constantly on the line.

"I can't believe you are an instructor, Let alone my instructor!" She glowered as she pushed passed him and left the med bay in a huff. Urahara just smiled and waved to Dr. Unohana as he followed his student out into outdoor hall.

It was a beautiful day as both teacher and student walked towards the large building used as a SeeD institute. Urahara would smile and wave to the young cadets that would greet him. He took a peek at his student and noticed the deep frown on her face.

"Is there something on your mind Soi-chan?" asked Urahara as he turned his head fully to give his young student his full attention.

"… No" was her dry response as she continued towards the school, and trying her best to ignore the man at her side.

"You know it's not good for your health to keep things locked up inside… in the end it just spills out anyway and is a thousand times worst when you think you're alone." Urahara said seriously, causing Soifon to stop in her tracks with her back to the man.

"Don't think that you know me _Urahara-san_." Soifon said in contempt and then continued forward.

"Then tell me. Tell me about yourself, what you like and dislike, your dreams and goals. I would like to get to know you Soifon. "He said to her back, his voice more serious then she had ever heard him. She paused for only a second shoulders tense, but then just proceeded to walk away.

* * *

"Good morning class!" Urahara sang as he sauntered into his class room, five minutes after Soifon, a larger than life grin on his face.

"Today we will start with our daily schedule… hmm now where did I put that blasted thing?" He mumbled as he looked through the mess piled on top of his desk. Soifon just sighed in exasperation as she watched her instructor look for his daily planner. She ignored his mumbling and cursing as the pile fell to the floor creating a larger mess then before, and turned her head to survey the room. It was a class of about thirty, fairly small considering how many students actually attended Seireitei Garden. Towards the front was Hitsugaya Toushiro, in a standard issue cadet uniform which consisted of black slacks and blazer with blue shoulder pads and high collar, who was being harassed by his friend Matsumoto Rangiku.

She was also in the standard issue cadet uniform, though instead of slacks she wore a skirt, she had the first three buttons of the blazer undone which didn't help much since her bust was far too large for the blazer she wore. At that moment she had Hitsugaya's face pressed to her ample cleavage as she gushed over the small boy, he was a prodigy you see, while his other female friend Hinamori Momo, also in cadet uniform, stared off into space daydreaming about the man who was sitting in front of her.

Soifon's eyes narrowed as she spotted Aizen Sosuke, the bastard, at the very front with his two cronies Gin Ichimaru, and Tousen Kaname. They were talking, though she couldn't hear what it was about, Gin had his ever creepy there grin as Aizen was talking and Tousen sat ramrod straight with his arms folded over his chest nodding every once-in-awhile. Gin pointed to Aizen's left cheek which had a bandage covering it, Soifon grinned as she remembered the scar she had given him as payment for the one he gave her, Aizen reached up and brushed his fingers over the ruff material a scowl marring his features. She refused to turn away when he shot her a dirty look, one that promised vengeance for what she had done. Soifon just rolled her eyes, like she was scared of that idiot.

Her attention was brought back to the front as Urahara let out a cheer.

"Aha! I found it!" he exclaimed triumphantly holding up a planner that looked like it had seen better days.

"So let's see what's on the agenda today shall we." Urahara said as he opened up to the current date. "Let's see… Ahh yes today will consist of the field exam for the cadets who have passed the written exam, you know who you are. Those who passed the written please meet in the hall at 1600 hours I will also announce your teams at that time, are there any questions? Right then all field participants you have free time until. All those who failed the written exam please head to room eleven where Instructor Kenpachi is awaiting you!" He said cheerfully, not noticing the several faces that paled at the mention of the psychotic instructor. All the cadets stood and proceeded out the room, some quicker than others, Soifon stood and was heading out the door when Urahara stopped her.

"Soi-chan!" she twitched at the suffix, "I need to talk to you!" Soi stood still and debated on whether to stay or go, Urahara made the decision for her,

"It's about your prerequisite; it seems you have yet to complete it." He said quietly as he made his way towards his student. "Soi-chan," she twitched again, "you need to complete the naming of your Zanpakuto, at the _Cavern of Names_ or you won't be able to participate in the field exam."

"Damn it I was going to go earlier today, but that asshole Aizen…" she thought angrily as she realized her fight with the cocky bastard had forced her to forgo on the Cavern. She was screwed.

"Do you have a good reason for not completing the prerequisite?" Urahara asked her amused, hiding a smile behind his fan, which appeared out of nowhere, of course he knew the reason, but to put her on the spot, well anything to get a reaction out of the girl.

"… No…" she sighed defeated.

"Well then you leave me no choice." Soifon lowered her head in defeat; damn it and she had worked so hard to complete the written exam.

"Get your things we're going to the Cavern of Names. If we leave soon we could make it with plenty of time to spare for the field exam!" Urahara exclaimed as he waved his fan in front of his face victoriously. Soifon looked up in shock at her crazy instructor in wonderment, after all she had done to him he still wanted to help her pass the exam. She didn't know whether to smile at the man or smack him upside the head to knock some sense into him.

"Well come on Soi-chan, go get your things ready we have a Cavern to explore, and a Zanpakuto to name!" He cheered as he pumped his fist, not holding the fan, into the air.

Soifon just rolled her eyes and turned to the door,

"Hai Urahara… sensei." She left the room with a small smile on her face.

* * *

I kind of revised it just the spelling and wording nothing major... hopefully I got all past errors.

-K


	2. Welcome to the Cavern of Names

Chapter Two: Welcome to the Cavern of Names

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively. If I did Soifon would have more air time!

* * *

Thirty minutes later found Soifon on the elevator heading down to the main floor, ready to meet up with Urahara and leave for the cavern.

The elevator dinged, signifying that she had reached a part of her destination, all she had to do now was head to the front of the school and leave to complete the prerequisite.

"Oh crap I'm late, I'm late, and I'm late!" Shouted a dark haired girl as she ran towards the elevators just as Soifon was getting off. The girl who was late crashed into Soifon knocking both of them down.

"Ow!" The unknown girl groaned from on top of Soi, "That really hurt." She then opened her eyes to look down into steely grey.

"Eep! I am so sorry!" the girl apologized as she jumped up and off of Soifon, who then proceeded to stand up as well.

"I'm sorry it's just that I'm new here and I still don't know my way around this place! It's so much bigger than the last Garden I transferred from! I was actually looking for room twelve, I have the field exam and I was told that all participating cadets were to meet there." The girl rushed to explain. Soifon just looked at the girl bemused, she noticed that the girl was a few inches shorter then her with blue eyes and dark hair, with a bang going across. She was wearing the standard cadet uniform.

"I'm sorry to inform you cadet…" Soifon realized the girl never gave her name; the new girl seemed to have realized the same thing because she blushed and bowed several times before saying,

"Please forgive my rudeness! My name is Kuchiki Rukia, but please feel free to call me Rukia!"

"Well Cadet Kuchiki I'm afraid that you have missed class." Rukia looked shocked and sad, "You have not missed anything other than the announcement that all those who passed the written exam are free to do whatever they wish until 1600 hours. You are then to report here for team selections. If you failed the written you were to report to room eleven for study hall with Instructor Kenpachi, which was all that was announced. Now if you'll excuse me I must be going." Soifon finished. Rukia smiled and bowed.

"Thank you… umm I actually never got your name." Rukia said sheepishly scratching the back of her neck and giggling nervously. Soifon just shrugged and started to walk away.

"H-Hey wait you never introduced yourself!" Rukia shouted to Soifon's back, "… well ok then nice meeting you." She whispered into the empty halls.

* * *

"SOI-CHAN!" Urahara shouted warmly as he spotted Soifon walking up to him. She cringed as a few of the other cadets turned in their direction at Urahara's unnecessary racket.

"Will you _please_ keep your voice down!" Soifon yelled exasperated at her Instructor's behavior.

"Oh Soi-chan you are just too funny! Keep your voice down… hahaha, you always know just how to make me laugh!" His said good-naturedly his fan appearing out of nowhere in front of his mouth as he grinned at her scowl. "So are you ready to face danger and adventure!" He asked excitedly, dramatically pointing the fan at his young student. Soi just stares at the man, wondering what she did to piss off the gods. Then, faster than most could see, Urahara's fan is clutched in Soifon's fist. Urahara blinks a few times impressed.

"Well if you were hot you could have just asked for the fan! For I have plenty you see!" Once again Urahara produced a fan out of nowhere laughing like a mad man. Soifon just sighed and gave up; there is no way to beat him.

"Now all joking aside the Cavern of Names is a dangerous place. So be prepared to use kidou if you are in trouble or hurt… You do remember the one to heal minor injuries right Soi-chan?" Soi just glared at him. Of course she knew healing kidou, though it wasn't her best art, Unohana beat it into all the cadets early on. She shuddered as she remembered the Doctor's _teaching methods_. Urahara coughed as the shadow fell over his students face, he knew all too well what they went through under Unohana's teaching. Hell he went through it himself; he shuddered as he remembered his own experience with the Doctor. Man could she be scary when she wanted.

"Ahem… anyway we should be on our way. Learning the name of one's Zanpakuto isn't easy. Some have to spend days or months trying to learn them." Urahara said seriously, "But I have faith in you Soi-chan you'll learn your Zanpakuto's name in no time!" Urahara then turned with a swish of his jacket and started to walk out the gates and towards the cavern.

"Come Soi-chan! Your destiny awaits!" Once again Soi was left confused on how to feel about her teacher. On one hand she wanted to thank the man for offering her his support, and on the other she wanted to smack him upside the head for his lame speeches. Oh well she would let him get away with it this time.

"Oi wait for me you idiot!" she shouted after him, his laugh her only response.

* * *

The trip to the _Cavern of Names_ was short, the cavern was only located two miles east of the Garden, and surprisingly enough she found that Urahara's constant yapping helped pass the time even more quickly. Not that she would ever admit it to him.

"… And here we are." Urahara announced as they stopped a few yards away from the cavern. Soifon noticed it was guarded by a large man with a bag of chips held up to his mouth munching away as he sat on a boulder a few feet away from the cavern's entrance.

"Now Soi-chan I need you to pay attention to what I say, this will be all part of your prerequisite, which is also another part of your overall exam." Urahara paused for a moment and waited to have his student's full attention. Once he was sure she would listen to what he had to say he began to speak.

"Once we go in we will need to be alert the cavern is full of dangerous monsters, we know them as Hollows, and as you know there are several different classes but we've already covered this in class. What you need to know is that once we reach the end of the cavern you will need to take your Zanpakuto and toss it into the pit. From there the manifestation of you sword will appear to challenge you. This is where things get hard once your Zanpakuto manifests you must make it submit to you through a battle. I will be going in with you as support against the Hollows but I cannot help you against your Zanpakuto. Do you understand Soifon?" Soifon was once again surprised to hear him use her full name. She looked up and gave her Instructor a curt nod.

"Ok then off we go." He said as he headed off towards the mouth of the cavern, Soifon noticed his lack of usual cheer.

"Well look what we have here. More fresh blood for the cavern." The guard leered as he looked up at them from his position on the boulder.

"Oh Oomeada you are such a kidder." Urahara greeted the large, ugly, man who was now standing in front of the cavern's mouth blocking their path. "Anyhow my student here wishes to enter the cavern, so if you could just move aside we'll be on our way and out of yours." Urahara said cheerfully.

"Hey now what's the rush? Not like Shorty here is actually going to make it. I mean look at her! She's scrawny!" Oomeada boomed clapping Urahara on the back, nearly knocking the instructor over in the process. Soifon on the other hand was red, not with embarrassment oh no, she was red with unbridled fury at the fat man's audacity to call her short.

Oomeada was a dead man.

* * *

"Umm maybe we should call a medic?" Urahara said as he watched Oomeada bleed out on the dirt floor of the cavern's entrance. Poor man didn't know what hit him, and to be honest neither did he. One minute the guard was making fun of his student the next he was on the ground moaning and bleeding.

Urahara was once again impressed with the speed his student had. She had been a blur when she drew her sword, and then she had practically disappeared from his side only to reappear a few seconds later with Oomeada on the floor cuts littering his body.

"Che don't bother. I didn't cut anything vital." Soifon dismissed her Instructor's concern, "It will also teach the idiot not to judge others ever again… though he may actually be dumber then he looks. In which case he may never learn that invaluable lesson… oh well." Soifon sheathed her sword, stepped over the prone man (crushing his bag of chips in the process), and headed into the cavern, the darkness swallowing her up.

"Sorry Oomeada but I have to go. Have fun there on the floor!" Urahara said with a wave as he too was swallowed up by the darkness of the cave. Oomeada just laid there, tears streaming down his face as he looked to his bag of crushed chips.

* * *

"Well this place looks as cheery as last time!" Urahara said sarcastically as he took in the area they were in. _The Cavern of Names_ as it was commonly referred to didn't quite catch the _mystique _of the place, not like it had any, the actual cavern itself was just a giant oven, and a better name for it would have been the _Cavern of Hell_.

"No wait I think it actually got a bit hotter in here. Hmm I wonder why that is, eh oh well that is something to ponder at for a different time. Come Soi-chan we have a bit of a ways to go."

The cavern was surprisingly empty of any Hollow activity, which put Soifon on edge since she remembered clearly from other cadets' recounts on the cavern that the place was usually teeming with them. They should have run into something right now; everyone else said they had at least run into four Hollows on their trip to the cavern. She noticed that Urahara was also tense.

"Soifon keep close. Something doesn't feel right." Whispered her Instructor, his usually bright eyes dark and alert. With a nod Soifon made sure to stay close to her Instructor, her right hand over the hilt of her sword. She watched as Urahara released his sword from its place inside of the cane he carried around with him.

"_This must be bad if Urahara has drawn his sword… crap and my day was oh so wonderful to begin with." _Soifon thought darkly, unsheathing her blade quickly when she heard a noise. Her eyes took in every nook and cranny of the cavern as they continued to walk towards the pit. She saw a shadow move to her right and quickly jumped out of the way of a large clawed hand. Soifon landed a few yards away from the deadly appendage in shock of how big the Hollow was.

Urahara had also jumped out of the way when he had sensed the presence of the Hollow. He was just as shocked as his student. The Hollow that had dragged itself out of the shadows surrounding it was quite large. It stood over twelve feet tall on both its front and hind legs. Its upper body was bulging with muscles while its lower body was frail looking, he could tell this thing was meant for strength not speed, it was also covered in a thick red fur. Its mane shown a fiery red around an ivory white mask full of razor sharp teeth, and sickly yellow eyes that stared at them in hunger. He had never seen one like it near Seireitei. Sure he had seen giant Hollows before, but never one like this before. What unnerved him even more was the fire the creature seemed to be able to conjure in its clawed hands. Hollows could release Cero, but that was usually all they could do.

This was bad.

This was bad really bad, for the first few moments neither human nor monster had moved a muscle, but that all changed when the Hollow decided it didn't want to wait for them to make the first move. With a mighty roar the Hollow had sprung heading straight for Soifon, surprising them with its Speed. Soifon barely dodged as the beast brought one flaming arm towards her face claws pointed at her. The Hollow didn't let up though as it quickly turned towards her again and struck. This time she didn't get away without a scratch. The Hollow's bulky arm caught her across the chin knocking her to the other side of cavern nearly knocking her into the lava pit that was located on both sides of the chamber. Luckily for her Urahara was able to get to her in time before she fell in.

"Bastard packs a punch." She said angrily, spitting out a glob of blood, standing she lifted her sword in a defensive position waiting for the monster's next move.

"It's surprisingly fast." Urahara mumbled to his student as he held his sword out point facing the enemy.

"_Benihime_ could take him out but the bastard keeps dodging I can't get a clear shot." Urahara shot his student a side long look, "We need to cripple it before I can release her… do you think you could take out his legs Soi?"

Soifon's eyes narrowed and with a nod she took off at top speed. She was too fast for even the Hollow to see. So it did the next best thing, with a great howl the Hollow created a barrier of fire between itself and its prey. Soifon had to stop her attack before she was burned to death. When the barrier cleared both teacher and student were shocked to see that the Hollow had transformed. Now not only was the Hollow even bigger than before, standing as sixteen feet, and looked to be made of pure magma.

"Well that's not good." Whispered Urahara to himself. The hollow turned to him and with little warning shot out its fist at him. The super heated appendage extended towards him at an alarming rate.

"URAHARA!"

"Benihime!" Shouted Urahara as the lava hit. Soifon stood in shock her Instructor was dead, she couldn't believe it the one person who actually cared about her was gone… She had no more time to mourn her teacher's death the Hollow had turned to her now. Shaking her head she jumped out of the Hollows way as it yet again shot out its arm this time towards her.

There had to be a way to beat the damn thing she thought, and with that thought Soifon had the sudden urge to smack her palm to her face. Using her speed to her advantage Soi led the Hollow on a wild chase always keeping one step ahead of the monstrosity. She noticed that the Hollow was tiring, and decided it was time to finish the beast off once and for all.

"**bakudou 61: Rukujyoukourou**!" (Luminous Prison of 6 Bars) With that Six bright white lights surrounded the Hollow pinning him in place. "Now I'm going to make you pay for what you did to my teacher! **Hadou 33: Soukatsui!**" (Way of Destruction) Kidou gathered at the center of Soifon's palm, a big blue ball of spiritual pressure forming until she released it at the Hollow's head, hitting home and blowing it clean off the rest of his body. Breathing hard Soifon made her way to where her teacher was hit; a cooling mound of rock was all that seemed to be left of him.

"… I'm sorry sensei… if only I had been stronger, or faster, I could have done something to save your life… You're the second person I've failed…" Soifon fell to her knees and cried, surprising herself with her tears; she hadn't done that in a long time, not since she was little anyway. She placed her forehead to the ground hands on either side, palms flat, in a subservient way.

She didn't notice the rock mound cracking in several places or the red light, but she did hear the mound crumble away leaving her Instructor in its wake, only a few cuts and bruises adorning his body.

"You never failed me Soi-chan…" Urahara whispered to his student, as she looked up at him in wide eyed awe, "… and don't even get me started on all that crazy strength you have… scariest thing ever!" He couldn't help but add with a wink and a grin.

* * *

also somewhat revised. Nothing major.

-K


	3. My Name is

Chapter Three: My Name is…

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively. If I did there would so be a Soifon Keychain… I mean come on really they have key chains for that moron Gin, but none for Soi, it's really sad… I want a Soifon keychain…

A/N hmm this is a pretty short chapter, but chapter four has already hit eleven pages so I guess it's all good… once again fight scenes are not my strong suit.

I'll just say this once and only once this is **NOT **a SOIHARA (or whatever they call it). It's YORUSOI, she just hasn't come into the picture yet.

* * *

After a thirty minute rest both student and teacher continued on through the cavern in silence.

"SOI-CHAN! I'M TIRED!" well relative quite.

Soifon just sighed, she noticed she did that a lot around the man, and kept walking. After their battle with the strange Hollow and Soifon's small breakdown. Something she was immensely ashamed of. They had tended to each other's wounds not saying much, though Urahara would make a big fuss over each little cut she tended to… the big baby.

"Come on Urahara we're almost there, in fact I can see the light at the end of the tunnel." She knew, just knew he would say something to that, "No Soi-chan stay away from the light!" Urahara said dramatically, there it was she thought, he was holding one hand out toward her back the other clutching his chest.

"Will you quit with the dramatics we need to finish this, or I'm stuck as a cadet until next semester, and god knows how I'll survive with you as my Instructor for that long." Soifon said sarcastically, her lips twitching as she heard Urahara gasp in mock pain.

"Soi-chan is so mean." He cried, fake tears rolling down his face, bent to the ground running his finger through the dirt. He then bounced back to his feet a large grin playing across his face. "But I know Soi-chan doesn't really mean it. You do love me! You're just shy!" He said loudly, causing Soi to stumble.

Soifon stood tense as the words love and shy filtered through her head. This time she didn't hesitate. In a flash Urahara was on the ground sporting a fist shaped mark to his cheek, dazed. Soi turned away and left him behind.

"Oh yeah she loves me." A rock came hurdling towards him, crashing into the wall behind him. "I heard that you idiot!" She yelled from the next room. Urahara just grinned, it never got old.

* * *

"So this is the chamber of names huh?" Soifon asked unimpressed, it looked like everything else in the cavern there were dark walls a dirt floor and lava flowing around them bubbling up and popping in some places. Oh there was also the big hole at the back. She figured that was where the Zanpakuto went. She unsheathed her sword and walked over to the pit, but before she could toss it in Urahara stopped her with his hand around her wrist.

"Are you sure you're ready? If you need a few more minutes to rest I wouldn't discourage it. Remember I can't help you with this." He said, his eyes hidden behind the shadow of his hat.

"…No I'm fine… plus the sooner we get this over with the better. I'm getting sick of this place." Urahara just nodded and let go of her hand. Without further hesitation Soifon threw her sword into the pit.

They waited a moment… and then another.

"Umm… Urahara shouldn't something happen right about now?" Soifon questioned, turning back to her teacher.

"YOU SHOULD NEVER TURN YOUR BACK TO AN ENEMY!" Shouted a voice from behind Soifon and then there was pain as whoever had shouted struck. Soifon jumped away from the pit and the voice. The burning at her back intensified.

"HAHAHA that's one! Another one and you'll be no more!" cheered the voice. Soifon was confused what did it mean by that?

"Wha-"Soifon was once again forced to dodge an attack, but still she was not quick enough to get away without a scratch. This time the burning came from her upper arm and with the burning also came a strange butterfly mark.

"What the hell!" Where the hell was the enemy, how was was she always so close? What was that strange mark!

"Ahh so you see the mark now. It's just like the one on your back, My _hōmonka_ a second strike to the same spot and it's bye-bye for you!" The voice said happily, "… And here comes the second strike!" Soi saw something flash to her left; she brought her uninjured arm up to block the attack, gaining another hōmonka in the process. For a moment she was able to get a glimpse of her attacker.

"What the hell my Zanpakuto is a fairy!"

"Hey I resent that! I'm way cuter then any fairy!" Said the small female floating a few feet away from her. She was probably a foot tall; she had dark brown hair, and darker eyes. She was wearing gold and black armor along with a stinger weapon covering her entire right arm. She was also wearing striped gold and black baggy pants, and something like a bikini covering her chest. She also seemed to be emitting a slight golden glow.

"Now I'm going to kill you for insulting my beauty! DIE!" The small fairy flew at her at an amazing speed. Soifon could barely move out of its way, again getting hit with the stinger this time her left thigh was left with the strange mark.

"Shit!" was all Soi could get out before her Zanpakuto came at her again. _"How the hell am I supposed to beat her! She's too fast!" _Soi thought panicking. If what the fairy said was true then a second hit would kill her, and she was offering plenty of targets, another one was added to her abdomen this time.

"HAHAHA you'll never beat the Great Suz-" She abruptly cut herself off smacking her left hand to her mouth turning red. _"I can't believe I almost said that out loud!"_ She mentally scolded herself.

_"I can't believe she almost gave away her name. What a childish Zanpakuto I have." _Soi thought, not knowing they shared almost the same exact thought. _"… maybe I could use this to my advantage."_

"Pft… please I've faced tougher lower level Hollows then you." Soi mocked the Zanpakuto. The small fairy like woman glared at her with contempt.

"HOW dare you insult me! You peon!" She yelled angrily once again disappearing from Soifon's line of sight.

"behind You… and… SECOND STRIKE!" The Zanpakuto's stinger shot out to the large target on Soifon's back. Soifon's eyes widened in shock, only to be replaced with a grin.

"**bakudou 61: Rukujyoukourou**" she called out turning to face the Zanpakuto; six bright white lights stopped the tiny Zanpakuto in her place.

"Wh-what the HELL! Hey let me go this instant. Hey are you listening to me I said LET! ME! GO!" The Zanpakuto yelled emphasizing the last three words by struggling to get out of the binding technique.

"Oh I plan on letting you go." Her Zanpakuto looked up in surprise, "But only after you tell me your name… Ms. Fairy." Soifon said panting softly, all the hōmonka made her body hurt almost like it was on fire. She then noticed a throbbing vein growing larger on the Zanpakuto's forehead. She was ready to blow.

"I THOUGHT I ALREADY TOLD YOU I'M NO FAIRY!" The Zanpakuto then redoubled her efforts to get out of the bind. "Well then what would you like me to call you…? Ms. Fairy." Soifon asked her in a patronizing way.

"MY NAME IS NOT MS. FAIRY IT'S SUZUMEBACHI-" Suzumebachi stopped her triad as she realized what just happened.

"NO! NO WAY! I can't believe I did that! Stupid! Stupid!" Soifon rolled her eyes, what a loud mouth. She couldn't believe this Suzumebachi was her Zanpakuto.

"Well since I made you submit your name, I guess that means you now have to follow me... Suzumebachi." Soifon said looking her Zanpakuto in the eyes.

"CRAP!"

* * *

"Well that looked like fun!" Urahara said clapping his hands as he watched the two women glare at each other in amusement.

"Shut up you stupid man!" growled both Soifon and Suzumebachi as they turned away from each other and fixed their death glares at Urahara instead. He chuckled nervously and held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Ahem well anyway now that you've passed your prerequisite you're now cleared for the field exam Soi-chan!" Urahara said, hoping that would stop his student from causing him pain with her new weapon.

It worked.

Soifon's eyes lit up in excitement, the only outward appearance that showed her happiness. Suzumebachi on the other hand had a more outward reaction.

"Yahoo!" she whooped in excitement, doing a little dance in the air, Soifon just stared at her Zanpakuto again wondering how she was hers.

"Why are you so happy! Just a minute ago you couldn't stand the thought of being my Zanpakuto!" Soifon yelled, she was tired and confused.

"Hahaha oh Soi-chan, now that you've gotten your Zanpakuto to submit it is now connected to you through mind body and soul. She is a manifestation of you. She will now share everything with you, be it sadness, anger, happiness… or love." He waggled his eyebrows at the last part, "She will be your constant companion. That is what a Zanpakuto is. Now come on it's time to go." With that Urahara turned and started to walk away.

"Wait Urahara… since she's my Zanpakuto how do I get her to revert back to sword form?" Soifon asked confused

"Hey I'm floating right here you know!" Suzumebachi huffed angrily. Soifon just shrugged at her Zanpakuto, she still couldn't believe someone so childish was a part of her soul. This would be bad for her reputation. She looked back to Urahara, but then again so was he.

"Just ask her and she should do as you say." Urahara said over his shoulder, disappearing down the tunnel a smile spreading across his lips. His little student surprised him yet again by having her Zanpakuto submit so quickly… plus he couldn't get over the fact that the always serious Soifon had such an immature Zanpakuto.

His laughter echoed all throughout the cavern at that thought.

* * *

another small revision, but really I'm just adding line breaks so the chapters dont look so clumped together.

-K


	4. The people you hate AKA your team

Chapter Four: The people you hate A.K.A your team

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively. I would so have more Yorusoi moments if I did own Bleach.

* * *

"YES! We're back! I'm soo hungry, but don't worry my hungry tummy we'll soon get something to eat!" Urahara patted his stomach gently.

Once again Soifon was left to wonder why she was stuck with him and the new buzzing annoyance in her head. Suzumebachi was not only immature, but apparently she was also a chatter box. Soifon had a headache the moment Suzumebachi reverted back into a sword.

_"Will you shut up already!"_ Soifon mentally snapped at her Zanpakuto, _"I don't care about how our fight left your hair in a mess!"_ She scolded Suzumebachi who just huffed, and then a moment later began to chatter away again. Soifon sighed in defeat, great now her damn sword was getting her to do it; she knew there was nothing she could do about her Zanpakuto. Urahara on the other hand could be dealt with.

She was halted from kicking the man's ass, literally, when he whooped and took off at top speed. The gates to Seireitei shining magnificently from down the hill. Signifying that they were finally home.

"Thank God." Mumbled Soifon, thinking about the nice long bath she was going to take. She rounded the corner towards the Garden ready to disappear for the next few hours, but Urahara's voice stopped her. She was actually surprised to see him since he was in such a hurry to eat.

"Oi Soi-chan remember to meet in the lobby in the next two hours. Oh and make sure to be in your cadet uniform! Ok then Bye Soi-chan!" and he was gone again. Soifon wondered how long she could keep her sanity when she had two idiots to deal with. It seemed that Suzumebachi didn't like that remark, and let Soi know with a massive headache.

* * *

Soifon felt refreshed after a nice long bath; apparently Suzumebachi had enjoyed it as well and kept quiet the whole time they were in there. She was also able to get some much needed sleep, and that also helped lighten her mood and got rid of the headache Suzumebachi had left her with. She had gotten dressed in her cadet uniform, and had headed out.

Now she was with the other cadets all cleared for the mission each one of them chattering with friends just making unneeded noise.

"SOI-CHAN! Hey over here!" Urahara yelled waving his arms through the air like a hyperactive child. Soi scowled as a few of the other cadets giggled behind their hands at her Instructor's words and general stupidity.

"Hi Soi-chan! Are you ready for your team assignment! Because I have them right here!" He said in his singsong way as Soi made her way next to him. Once she reached him, Soi lifted up her arm and placed a well deserved smack to the back of his head.

"Owie why'd you go and do that Soi-chan?" Urahara asked while rubbing the back of his head.

"You know perfectly well why!" she growled angrily, "… So stop calling me that!" Urahara just grinned, and Soifon knew it was a lost cause.

With a sigh she turned away from him and just asked, "So who are my teammates?" Urahara pretended to look over the team roster.

"Hmm it says here you are with… Abarai Renji. Oh he is quite the lively fellow. " Urahara said cheerfully and began the countdown, _"… and three… two…_ on-"

"What!" Soifon bellowed, "… and lively really, he's just a loud mouth. Please tell me I can switch teams." Well that was a first for Urahara, Soifon actually sounded like she was whining.

"Sorry Soi-chan no can do. You're stuck with him… Abarai over here please it's time to meet your team!" Urahara shouted over to a red haired youth, with strange tattoos on his face. Renji, who had been practicing his footwork, sauntered over to the two.

"Yo…" He greeted lifting up his palm. His eyes then widened as he recognized Soi.

"No way I'm with you! I thought Aizen had whooped your ass pretty bad this morning… thought for sure you'd still be in the med bay recovering." Soifon was about to unsheathe her sword and show the tattooed freak what a real whooping was, but once again Urahara had to butt in.

"Now, now it's not nice to talk about others behind their backs especially when said back belongs to your Squad Captain."

"WHAT! Aizen is going to be our squad captain! No way… that sucks." Renji said angrily. Just then Aizen arrived with Gin to his right and Tousen at his left. All three cadets were wearing white civilian outfits consisting of a long coat, baggy trousers, and swords.

_"Oh look Aizen and his clones are here to spoil the day hurray." _Suzumebachi's voice echoed through Soifon's head sarcastically. Urahara turned to Aizen.

"Ah there you are Aizen-kun." Aizen's left brow twitched, "Congratulations you are Squad Captain of team five… Good luck with the exam."

""Instructor, I hate it when people wish me luck. You should save those words for a bad student that needs them." Aizen said in his arrogant way. Urahara nodded his head in agreement.

"Ok then. Good Luck Aizen." Aizen scowled at the Instructor, hatred in his eyes for the man.

"Now then, as you know you're a part of team five. I'll be your Instructor in charge, though I won't be taking part in the actual exam. So remember to work as a team to get through this, and good luck guys!" Urahara finished just before the Headmaster, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, came before them.

"Good day to you all. Today's Exam will involve twelve members from Squads one through five. You shall be proceeding to a live battlefield… the battles are real, and your lives will be put through the ultimate test of life and death, victory and defeat, honor and disgrace. There will only be one or the other… For those who still wish to continue, know this you will be accompanied by an additional nine members of the Garden. Should you fail, these members shall finish what you could not. The pride of Seireitei! The elite mercenary force falls to you few! Learn and prove yourselves worthy of becoming members of this magnificent force. Now go and accomplish what has been set out before you… Good luck to you all and may you all come back not as cadets but full members of the SeeD.

* * *

They were on their way to the small port city of Seireitei where they would then board their ship and be off to Rukongai, but before then Soifon had to put up with the constant annoyance know as Abarai Renji… at least Aizen had taken the other shuttle.

"So Soi-chan," Soifon's brow twitched, "I heard you just accomplished your prerequisite today. Will you show me what it looks like?"

"…"

"Come on Soi-chan! Show me your Shikai!"

"…"

"Tch, fine… I bet it ain't as impressive as my Zabimaru." He boasted patting the sword at his side.

_"Just ignore him. Don't do anything rash. Don't do the world a favor by taking him out of it."_ Soi tried to mentally calm herself. It wasn't working very well since Suzumebachi was buzzing in her ear about the useless male, and how there was nothing more impressive then her. Soifon's headache had made its comeback.

"So Soi-chan-" Soifon's sword was instantly at Renji's throat. "Call me that one more time, and I swear I'll cut out your voice box." She threatened the red haired male maniacally. Renji nodded his head as he paled.

"Now Soi-chan what have I told you about threatening others with bodily harm?" Urahara asked his student good-naturedly. Soifon just huffed and put away her sword, choosing to ignore the two men she was stuck with for the rest of this mission… God have mercy on her…

* * *

After spending an hour in the car with the two men, and their never ending game of I-Spy, Soi could actually say she knew what hell felt like now.

She quickly got out of the car, and took in the site before her.

The town of Seireitei was small, but with an air of tranquility that only came with places where everyone knew each other. It really was a nice town with bright skies and blue seas.

Soi looked down at the docks where several high speed armored water crafts waited. She took a moment to marvel the gleaming machines as they peacefully moved with the waves. Such a deceptive view, those machines were everything but peaceful and very out of place amongst the tiny fishing boats docked around them.

"Hey you three over there!" a voice called from the docks, "Hurry up and board!"

"Right!" replied Urahara, before he turned back to Soifon "Do your best out there Soi-chan." Then he turned and walked into the assault boat. Soifon followed suit, Renji next to her surprisingly quiet for once.

* * *

The meeting room of the assault boat was surprisingly roomy, able to fit five people and a table and projection screen comfortably. In the room sitting on the built in wall couches the cadets and their Instructor were waiting for the briefing to begin. At the front stood a tall man with slate gray eyes and long black hair, which he kept up in an intricate white headpiece that symbolized his nobility as the head of the Kuchiki family, Kuchiki Byakuya.

"_Ah so that's who the young cadet had been related to."_ Soifon thought, remembering the young girl who had bumped into her that morning. Maybe she should have been a bit kinder to her… oh well no use crying over spilt milk.

"Our client for this mission is the lesser noble of Rukongai. As of twenty-four hours ago the noble house has placed a request to our Garden for assistance against Las Noches forces. Rukongai has been under attack by Las Noches troops since ninety-six hours ago. Sixty-two hours into the battle the Rukongai troops were forced to abandon their position in the inner city. They are currently taking refuge in the nearby mountains, regrouping. That is the situation as of now." Byakuya took a moment to look around at the assembled team. His eyes narrowed when they landed on Aizen, Soifon noticed. She wondered what the cocky bastard had done to get the usually collected Kuchiki Byakuya to show any form of irritation.

"SeeD's objective is to eliminate the remaining Las Noches troops within the city and to liberate it from their forced occupation. SeeD is also to intercept any Las Noches forces who try to make their way into the city. We're to make a landing at Shiba Beach to mark the start of our mission… Are there any questions?" The young noble asked.

"Yes I have one…" Aizen spoke up sounding bored.

"… and what would that question be cadet?" Byakuya asked, contempt barely hidden.

"Well Kuchiki… _sir_… we know that SeeD are the ones who will be dealing with the enemy, but what are _we_," Aizen rolled his eyes at the word, "Supposed to do while SeeD are off playing heroes to the poor little towns folk?"

"Well _Cadet_, if you had been paying _attention_ you would know that it is your objective to secure the inner city, you are SeeD cadets after all, and it will be you playing the hero to the poor little town's folk as you put it. As the Headmaster said before SeeD members will not interfere unless you fail." Byakuya said this time not bothering to hide the disdain. He actually sounded like he hoped Aizen would fail, and once again Soifon wondered what Aizen had done to gain Byakuya's hate.

"Yes! So that means we get to fight!" Renji exclaimed happily, breaking up the glaring match between Byakuya and Aizen.

"…Yes you may very well end up fighting, but remember once the order to withdraw comes in, you must drop everything and return to the ships. That will be top priority." Byakuya told them seriously.

The lights in the cabin began to flash.

"That is our signal, we are almost there, beware, we will be under fire once we reach the beach so be prepared. If you have any more questions feel free to ask your Instructor… You have five minutes to make any last minute adjustments to your weapons and armor… good luck cadets." Byakuya then left the room.

"…So are there anymore questions?" Urahara asked. When no one said anything he clapped his hands, "Great! Now remember the order to withdraw will take top priority, and when it does haul ass and make your way back towards the shore… You now have four more minutes, so get ready." He then stood up gave a nod and left the room as well.

* * *

The landing had been ruff and as soon as the three cadets had disembarked on the shore they were under heavy fire.

"Crap! I thought they said there were only stragglers left in the city!" Renji complained as he dodged the rapid fire of bullets aimed at his head.

"No… they said that the inner city had been cleared out, Las Noches has made this beach their last stand against our troops, and once we get passed that wall we'll be alright." Soifon shouted over the gunfire, she was taking cover behind a collapsed wall.

"I thought this was what you wanted Abarai!" Aizen taunted over his shoulder as he engaged a Las Noches troop cutting him down quickly. Renji glared at the man's back, he would show the prick just how strong he really was.

"Howl! Zabimaru!" Renji shouted while swinging his sword, which had transformed into a long 6-part segmented blade; each segment was wider than the one preceding it from the hilt with 2 pick-like protrusions on the front and back of each segment, at a group of Las Noches troops instantly taking them all out.

"Ha! How do you like me now!" He whooped victoriously at Aizen, Zabimaru perched on his shoulder.

"Enough of this we have a mission to complete!" Soifon shouted, agitated with the two men and their pissing contest. Renji looked abashed and Aizen just ignored them and left now that there was a clear path.

There had been more troops then they thought as they made their way toward the town square, though both Renji and Aizen seemed to have a competition on who could defeat more enemies before they got there. Soifon had only taken out a handful and Suzumebachi hadn't even been drawn. The Zanpakuto didn't like that at all.

_"Oi why haven't you used me yet! I could take out all these idiots in two hits!"_ Suzumebachi growled at her master not happy that Soifon was leaving her out of the fight.

_"Oh please there is no need of you right now. These pathetic fools can't even defend against hand-to-hand combat. Why would I waste you on them?_ Soifon questioned her Zanpakuto, _"Plus those two morons seem to have the sword swinging covered."_ She looked to the left and watched as both Renji and Aizen tried to outdo the other. They both had used their Zanpakuto's Shikai and were now just hacking away at the enemy.

They wouldn't get any points for creativity that was for sure.

Soifon was forced back to her own battle with a Las Noches grunt as he came charging at her a battle baton in his hand. With a swift kick to the head Soifon had the man down and out.

_"Pathetic… and you wanted me to use you against that."_ She mentally scoffed looking down at the soldier with disgust. She looked around her and noticed that she and her team had finished off all their opponents; they had also reached their destination.

"Abarai! Scout the ahead and make sure there are no more enemy soldiers in the area!" Aizen ordered while he headed for the fountain.

"Yes _Sir_." Renji gave a lazy salute and left to fulfill his duty, mumbling all the while about arrogant pricks. Soifon followed after the redhead, knowing that he could get in trouble if he were alone, plus there was no way she would spend even a second with the white clothed man.

* * *

"Can you believe that jerk! Ordering us around like that! Who the hell does he think he is!" Renji huffed angrily as he looked to his companion hoping she would agree with him.

"…He is the squad captain for this mission, so just put up with it for now or fail… It's as easy as that." Soifon said as she walked ahead, eyes alert for any trouble. Renji relented and walked faster to catch up with his teammate.

"So Soi-cha-" Renji stopped himself as he saw Soi's hand move to her sword, "I mean Soifon, why did you fight Aizen earlier? Everyone knows that jerk fights dirty. I mean look at his Zanpakuto, Kyōka Suigetsu, it puts you under a spell or something. One minute he's there the next he's gone. He not someone you mess with." He said, he really wanted to know what would cause the usually stoic woman to fight someone as strong as Aizen, but he knew with one look that Soifon wouldn't give him an answer.

"It seems that we have cleared the area. Lets head back to the town square." Soifon ordered, while turning around and heading back towards the square, Renji following without another word.

"There are no enemy soldiers within the vicinity. Everything looks clear." Soifon reported when she saw Aizen, eyes closed and arms folded over his chest, sitting on the fountain's ledge. She found herself hoping he would tip to far back and fall into it.

"Fine… we'll be on standby then…" Aizen said in a lazy manner, he didn't even bother opening his eyes, as he gave them their new orders.

"Standby… oh man that's so boring." Renji groaned, but sat down, crossed legged, anyway. He took out his Zabimaru and started to polish it with a rag he took out of his uniform. Soifon just stood away from both of them leaning against a bullet raddled car. She would be uncomfortable sitting down in her cadet uniform, especially since the skirt always felt too short for her liking. A few moments later the group heard sounds of intense gunfire.

"I guess the real fighting's finally started." She said as she looked up towards the sky, trying to ignore the sounds.

"Let it start… maybe we'll finally see some real action now," Aizen replied bored as he stood up from the fountain and moved to where Soifon herself was. She tensed as he leaned against the car a few feet away from her.

"I'm surprised you actually woke up after our fight this morning. I'm even more impressed you're walking around. I thought for sure you would be forced to miss out in today's exam." Aizen said kindly, though Soi knew he was mocking her with his tone.

"I'm surprised you decided to show your face in public as well, what with that ugly scar marring your _perfect _features." Soifon couldn't keep out the poison in her voice. Aizen glared as he unconsciously moved his hand up to his left cheek. Her right cheek itched as she remembered her own imperfection the bastard had left her with. It was quiet after that, or as quiet as it could get when one had Abarai Renji as a partner.

"Oh Man! I'm bored! Where is all the action?" He yelled as he jumped up to his feet swinging his sword around. When the other two just ignored him he sighed in defeat and plopped back down to the floor mumbling to himself.

* * *

It was another hour before anything else happened. Team five hadn't moved from their positions, each one bored, they finally heard sounds coming from the other side of the town square. Aizen took lead and ordered the other two to get behind cover. A few moments later the group spotted several Las Noches soldiers, all of whom were heavily armored, making their way through the square and towards the direction leading up a mountain path. Once they were all gone Soifon and her team came out of their hiding spots.

"Where the hell are they going?" asked Renji as he looked up towards the mountain, "Hey what's that up there?" He pointed at a large tower that looked to be in need of some serious repair.

"That my, pineapple haired, friend is our new destination." Aizen said, ignoring Renji's indigent "Hey!"

"Wait! that's against our orders!" Shouted the redhead once he processed what Aizen had said.

"I thought it was you who was complaining about how bored he was with all the waiting." Aizen replied as he watched Renji's face go red.

"Yea- yeah, but we can't go against orders! Soifon back me up with this one!" Renji turned to the petite woman.

"… As much as I don't like this… I have to follow the squad captain's orders." She said sourly. Renji's face fell. They were told to follow their captain's orders, and no matter how much he hated the thought, he knew that Soifon was right, but he couldn't just let it go.

"You're just as bored as the rest of us, right Soifon, that's the only reason you would agree with me." Aizen said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. She just shook it off wiping at her shoulder like dirt had landed there.

"We are soldiers, and we must follow orders… plus it does seem to be a good opportunity to test my skills, and thanks to you I feel like I can take on anyone… even if they do fight dirty, like you." Soifon snapped annoyed with the arrogant man.

"I really hate being the party pooper here but this is an exam an important one, not some ordinary battle, if we don't follow orders we could fail." Renji said seriously, though he could tell he was fighting a losing battle.

"As I've said before I am following orders. Unfortunately the one giving the orders is going against what we were originally told, but he is still the squad captain." The female cadet once again wished she had been paired with a different team. She was sick of Aizen and Renji wasn't helping matters with his constant whining. It wasn't like she liked what Aizen wanted them to do, but they were told to follow their Captain's orders, and she would do that even if aforementioned captain was a bastard.

"Enough we're going and that's the end of it. If you have such a problem with that Abarai then stay here and be a coward." Aizen then left the two as he headed for the tower.

"Tch… damn that asshole… fine whatever let's just get this over with." Renji's shoulders slumped in defeat. Soifon shrugged and moved to follow after Aizen.

* * *

It took the group almost thirty minutes to get to the top of the mountain where the old tower was. They hid behind some rocks when they saw a group of Las Noches soldiers gather at the entrance of the tower. There was a man at the front lines dressed in white; He was slim, with scruffy dark hair, a short braided ponytail, golden eyes, and a rather youthful, feminine face. He also wore a strange 'Hollow' mask resembling the skull of a Saber-tooth tiger, which was worn like a helmet. He was calmly giving out orders to the gathered troops. Once he was done he turned to another man at his side. He was a large man. His 'Hollow' mask consisted of a thick helmet with short tusks protruding from the sides. He had wavy, short blond hair and four short, squiggly lines descending from each eye and jagged, chipped teeth. He was also dressed in white

"Nirgge have you finished setting up the generator, and repairing the satellite?" asked the slim man addressing the large man in a commanding voice.

"Yes Major Vega! All is complete and awaiting your arrival for final stage to commence." Saluted the big man; Nirgge, "Good then let us go." The slim man, Major Vega, then went into the building Nirgge following close behind.

"What the hell were those two talking about, generators and satellites, why would they be fixing anything?" Renji was the first one to speak as they all came out of their hiding spaces.

"Who cares, all that matters is that we now have to stop them… so are you scared?" Aizen asked the red head sarcastically, a grin on his face as he watched Renji's face go red.

"WHAT! Scared hell no!" Renji snapped back, he refused to let Aizen have the satisfaction of knowing that he was actually terrified of what they were about to do. Sure they had mock battles all the time, but in those fake battles no one really had to face death.

"Hmm, I love battles. I fear nothing. As I see it if you make it out of a battle alive your one step closer to fulfilling your dreams." Aizen said as he looked up at the blue skies. Soifon looked shocked, he had sounded almost sincere when he said that, of course he had to go and ruin it with what he said next.

"I'll do anything I have to if it means getting what I want, even if I have to kill you all to reach my dream!" Soifon shuddered at how serious he sounded. She had no doubt about how serious he was. She watched as he once again left them alone.

"Damn him… he thinks his dreams are the only ones that matter! Tch his dreams have to be nightmares anyway…" Renji mocked Aizen, as he sulked near the cliff Aizen had slid down.

"Whatever… we should get going too." Soifon then turned and started to walk down the path to the tower.

"Yeah you're right, we can't let that idiot have all the fu-" Renji was abruptly stopped from finishing his sentence as a solid object crashed into his back.

"GAH! What the hell!" He yelled from his prone position on the floor. Soifon noticed that the thing that crashed into Renji's back was not an enemy, but a young girl. In fact Soifon remembered her as the one who had knocked her down earlier this morning.

"Ow, watch where you're going next time." Rukia exclaimed as she hopped off of Renji's prone form.

"M-Me what about yo-" Renji had jumped to his feet and was going to tell the young woman off, but stopped as a blush made its way up his face. "I-I uh mean please forgive me… I'll be a bit more careful next time." He said, his face beet red, as he scratched at the back of his head abashedly. Soifon just rolled her eyes at the man. It was a sad site to see.

"Was there a reason for your interruption, Cadet Kuchiki?" Soifon asked in her monotone while ignoring Renji's glare.

"Wait! You mean Kuchiki… as in Byakuya Kuchiki; you're related to Captain Kuchiki? No way!" Renji exclaimed as his mind caught up to what Soifon had said a few moments before. Now it was Soifon's turn to glare. How dare that fool interrupt her, plus she had to get them moving again or they would fall too far behind Aizen. God knew he would never let them live that one down. So Soifon walked over to the gruff male took a deep breath, and punched him knocking the wind out of him. Renji fell to the floor as Soifon turned back to the dumbstruck girl.

"As I was saying was there a reason you interrupted us? We have things to do and you are keeping us from them." Soifon said as she glared at the cadet.

"Well… I was told to find squad five… you are squad five right?" Soifon nodded telling the girl that they were indeed squad five. Once Rukia was assured that they were the right team she continued, "Anyway I'm a messenger, and I have a message for your captain, Aizen, where is he?" Soifon pointed towards the tower which was at the bottom of the cliff they were on, and where Aizen stood before closed doors facing them.

"I'll face death and continue foreword to reach my dream!" He was then gone, the shadow of the building swallowing him up.

"Oh dear this is going to be harder than I thought… Captain Aizen please wait up! I have some important information you need!" Rukia then jumped down the cliff.

"GAH! That idiot she could have really hurt herself!" Renji shouted, finally deciding to make his presence known. It looked like Soifon had to work on her punches… Suzumebachi couldn't agree more as Renji continued to rant about careless women and their disregard for their own safety.

It was turning out to be a really long day after all… crap.

* * *

line breakes added

-K


	5. I Hate Spiders!

Chapter Five: I Hate Spiders!

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N

Rukia's Sword attacks:

**Some no mai, Tsukishiro** (_First Dance, White Moon_)

**Tsugi no mai, Hakuren** (_Next Dance, White Ripple_)

* * *

"Jeeze what took you both so long?" asked Rukia as she spotted the two cadets, "It would have been quicker to jump down."

"Quicker? Yeah right! You wouldn't normally jump off a cliff… right Soifon!" Renji argued desperate to win an argument for once. Soi shrugged personally she wasn't afraid of heights, and she was all for jumping, but Renji had complained so much she could feel a headache coming on so she had humored him and followed.

"I wouldn't know I'm usually not the chicken who can't make such a short jump." She said when she saw Renji open his mouth to argue some more.

"Wh- WHAT!"

"Hmm judging by your reaction, I'd say you're the chicken." Rukia said as she giggled behind her hand at Renji's red face and clenched fist.

"I AM NO CHICKEN!" He shouted back angrily as he pointed a finger at the young cadet. Rukia looked over to Soifon with a raised eyebrow.

"Is he always like this?"

"…yes…" was Soi's only reply. Renji huffed indigently as he crossed his arms and looked away from the two girls.

"Whatever!" He then stomped off towards the tower's entrance.

"Oi wait don't take it seriously Pineapple-head!" Rukia shouted after the retreating figure. "Oops… I think we really made him mad." She then said to Soifon, "By the way I still don't know your names?"

"… The monkey with red hair was Abarai Renji… and my name is Soifon… and we should hurry after him before he gets himself into trouble.

"Well it looks like Aizen has already been through here?" Soifon observed with disinterest. The tower was littered with the bodies of many Las Noches soldiers. None of them looked like they stood a chance, Aizen's Zanpakuto ability looked like it allowed him to defeat all of them with their knowing.

"Wow this was all your squad captain's doing… impressive." Rukia said in awe from next to the taller female. They spotted Renji at the end of the room where the tower's lift was located cursing.

"Yo… what's the matter now." Asked Soifon once they were close enough to the young man.

"Tch… I just spotted Aizen heading up the lift… bastard didn't even wait when I called to him…"

"… Well then let's go up there and find him! I really need to make this report, its important!" Rukia exclaimed as she made her way over to the lift and pressing the recall button. A few moments later the lift made its way back down, and the group got on and headed up to the roof.

* * *

On the roof Major Vega was busy finishing the repairs for the communication satellite. He had been forced to work on it when he realized his privet hadn't even started on it. When the large man had seen the murders look on the Majors face, Nirgge had made some lame excuse and had run away.

"I can't believe this isn't done yet… next time I see that imbecile I'm going to shove this wrench so far up his ass it will be tickling his tonsils! Ow!" The Major yelped as he cut his finger on a piece of scrap metal. He stuck his finger in his mouth and sucked on it. Nirgge chose that moment to return, he hoped that he had given the Major enough time to cool down. Too bad for him the cut had just intensified the young man's ire.

"Sir I have reports that say Seireitei SeeD's have made it to the inner city, and that our troops are being forced bac-" Nirgge ducked as Vega tossed the wrench at his head.

"Shut up you fool can't you see I'm busy, because of your incompetence I have to do everything here! Get out of my sight before I throw you off this godforsaken tower!" Major Vega the turned back to the control panel of the satellite grumbling to himself. Nirgge, who wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, knew enough not to further anger the slim man and ran away.

"Now this goes here… put this here… GAH! Where the hell is that wrench! Damn that Nirgge he should be the one doing this crap…" He went back to tinkering on the satellite.

"Ah-ha I'm finally done." He exclaimed as he turned on the satellite's power, at least Nirgge had gotten that set up; He stood back and watched as the satellite activated. That was the site that greeted the three cadets as they made it to the roof.

"Oi you, what the hell do you think you're doing!" Soifon demanded as she and her comrades made their way over to the slim man.

"Huh? Who the hell are you! What are _you _doing here, this tower has been commandeered by Las Noches and those who are not a part of our military are not supposed to be here. Now, Nirgge take care of these fools!" When no one ran to do his bidding Vega realized that he was alone.

"Well this isn't good he-he… um listen why don't I just leave… I mean I'm all done here, so I'll be out of your way now." Vega started to make his way towards the lift hands behind his back, which concealed a black controller; his way was blocked by a tall figure.

"What do we have here?"Aizen asked as he swung his sword at the Major, he was barely able to dodge the deadly weapon. He was also forced to drop the controller in the bid to save his neck.

"What the fu- are you crazy! You could have killed me!" Vega shouted indigent as he pointed an accusing finger at Aizen.

"Oh shut up already and fight!" Aizen once again slashed at the Major who dodged once again.

"You son of a bitch! You think you can take me on!" He pulled out his kodachi, which had a light yellow handle and silver oval-shaped guard with slits going down the middle of both ends. However, it also had an unusual double-edged straight blade that's squared-off at the tip.

"Alright let's go!" He charged at Aizen, his speed was impressive, but Aizen sidestepped and cut downward nicking Vega across the back.

"My, my you're quite weak aren't you?" Aizen mocked the Major as he brought his sword down to cut at the wiry man. Vega was once again forced to dodge out of the way.

"Fine then take this!" He reared his head back and then forward. The 'saber teeth' on his helmet shot off and straight toward Aizen hitting him dead on.

"Ha! I got him…What!" Vega's victory was short lived when he saw that 'Aizen' was crumbling into nothing.

"Tch I knew that bastard couldn't fight fair for even a minute." Soifon grumbled, "…And it looks like he isn't going to come out anytime soon… alright you two let's deal with this idiot and be done with this." She pulled Suzumebachi out of the sheath at her back, Suzumebachi cheering all the way, she noticed her companions doing the same thing with their own swords.

"Howl! Zabimaru!" Renji's sword transformed at his command,

"Dance! Sode no Shirayuki!" Rukia held her Zanpakuto out in front of her and turned it in a circle counter-clockwise way. While she was turning it, the blade, hilt and cross guard turned completely white. The tsuba became a hollow snowflake-like circle and a white ribbon formed from the pommel from the end of the handle. The transformation also came with a rush of cold air in all directions which sent an unnoticed shiver down Soi's back.

"Wow…" Renji was breathless, her sword was beautiful.

"_Oi! Both pineapple and ice-princess have released their swords, why am I still unreleased!"_ Suzumebachi whined loudly, _"Calm down I'll release you when the time is right… just give me a moment." _Soifon tried to appease her Zanpakuto.

"_You better! I can kick all their asses in a flash! HAHA"_ Soifon rolled her eyes and focused on the man in front of her.

"Hey Soifon…" Soi looked to Renji, "I just noticed but that guy looks a lot like you… are you two related in anyway." She once again focused on the man in front of them. She did notice that, but hell would have to freeze over before she admitted it.

"Don't be stupid… and focus on the battle not his looks! Now let's go!" She dashed at the Major; she brought her sword up in a vertical slash. She was surprised when Vega disappeared from her line of site.

"Don't underestimate me!" He reappeared at her side his kodachi swinging in a graceful arch right at her head.

"Oh no you don't! Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" Rukia punctured the ground once creating a large ice circle; she then punctured the ground in front of her another four times in a semi circle. She took a battle stance as ice particles began to flow up from the protrusions she'd made in the ground. They built up and then fired toward Vega in a massive, powerful pure-white wave of ice from Sode no Shirayuki's blade, encasing him in a block of ice.

"Damn that was so cool!" Renji exclaimed as he examined Rukia's handy work. Soifon on the other hand was less then pleased with the interference, since she now had ice particles hanging all over her… She was cold.

"MAJOR VEGA!" A loud voice came from behind them.

Nirgge came running up to the frozen form of his commanding officer. He tried to break the ice but it was no use it was frozen solid.

"You Bitch! I'll kill you for what you did to my boss!" He pulled out his sword, an average katana with a silver oval-like guard with a light-green handle, and ran at Rukia.

Soifon, who was still angry with Rukia, decided to take out her anger on the behemoth of a man. In two quick steps she was in front of the large man Suzumebachi's tip pointed right at his heart. Nirgge saw it too late and had barely any time to dodge. Instead of hitting his heart Soifon's sword plunged deep into Nirgge's shoulder.

"_Oh come on he was right there, and you still missed the death blow! If you had released me this giant fool would be dead by now!"_ Whined Suzumebachi as Soifon withdrew her from Nirgge's shoulder and he slumped to the floor.

"_Tch shut up you annoying fairy!"_ Soifon mentally screeched swinging her Zanpakuto around wildly. _"Wheee!"_ Suzumebachi cheered as she was swung around. "_Keep it up!"_ Soifon abruptly stopped; there was just no winning with the damn thing.

"_Aww, why'd you stop? I was having fun."_ Soi let out an exasperated sigh. She gave up; nothing seemed to affect Suzumebachi the way she wanted it to.

She sensed the danger before it even came close. It seemed that Nirgge wasn't out for the count.

"I'll get you for that!" He hollered, his sword coming down at her.

"…To slow." She whispered as she disappeared from his sight appearing behind him, and slashing upward with her sword leaving a deep gash across his back.

"AHH! You Bitch!" He turned trying to catch Soifon on the tip of his sword, but once again she was gone. He was again left with another gash diagonally across his back leaving an X shape.

"Hold still you bit-" His words were cut off when a fist connected with his jaw knocking him across the roof.

"Oomph!" He landed hard. He wanted to get back up but Soifon's polished shoe on his chest kept him from the endeavor.

"Stay down you pig… as of this moment this tower has been liberated from Las Noches occupation." She said menacingly while digging her foot into Nirgge's sternum, making it hard for the man to breath.

"F-fine, just please do-don't kill me!" He begged breathless.

"Well that was fun." Soifon heard Aizen's voice from the roof's entrance. When she turned to look, she saw him leaning against its frame casually.

"A-Aizen, where the hell have you been!" Renji demanded surprised to see the white clad man standing there like he had been there all that time. Before Aizen could tell the red head to mind his own business, he was assaulted by a loud voice from his right.

"Aizen of squad five… I have an important new order from Command. It states that all SeeD members and SeeD candidates are to withdraw at 1900 hours. We are all to assemble at the shore. That is all!" Rukia said with a salute.

Aizen looked over the short girl with a raised eyebrow, "Hmm 1900 hours… but there are still Las Noches troops nearby…"

"I'm just the messenger Sir." Rukia replied timidly. She didn't know what it was about the man but she didn't like him… at all.

"An order to withdraw takes priority… I don't want to miss the vessel." Soifon said from her spot, which was still looming over Nirgge her foot even now digging into his chest.

"Right… you girl… what time did you say the vessel leaves?" Aizen turned back to Rukia, who shrunk in on herself when his gaze landed on her again.

"We-we are to withdraw at 1900 hours s-sir."

"1900 hours… Hmm it seems that we only have thirty minutes to get to the beach… you all better run ha-ha" Aizen taunted amused as he walked off leaving the group with his mocking laughter.

"Who the hell does he think he is!" Demanded Renji, his fist clenched and raised to his chest.

"… Don't know why don't you ask him…" Soifon sarcastically replied. She removed her foot from the downed man, and started to walk away.

"H-hey wait for us!" Rukia shouted as she ran to catch up to Soi, Renji following close behind.

"…you… you little shits… I'll make you pay for humiliating us like that! Don't worry Major I'll get them for this!" Nirgge crawled over towards the dropped remote. He lifted it up and pushed the small red button at the top.

"Ha-ha those twerps won't know what hit them…" Nirgge then dropped to the ground unconscious.

* * *

A machine groaned to life from under the tower as it was activated for the sole purpose of destroying Las Noches enemies.

* * *

Soifon's group had just made it out of the communication's tower when they heard a loud screeching sound come from above them, and only a second later before the thing that made the noise dropped down on them. They barely had time to move out of its way before it crashed down creating a giant plume of dust and debris.

"Ow what the hell was that!" Renji sputtered as he coughed trying to dislodge the dirt that had made its way down his mouth. Rukia was tucked under his arm; he had saved her from being crushed by whatever had landed. She too was coughing up a storm as she tried to see through the dust.

"I *cough-cough* I don't know w-what it was… but whatever it was, was pretty damn big." She said once she was sure she could speak without hacking up a lung. She tried looking through the dust cloud once again, she had noticed movement, but before she could warn the others about it the thing struck.

A large metallic leg shot out through the cloud, and straight into Renji's gut, knocking him all the way back into the cliff face, Rukia went along for the ride. Soifon dodged the second leg that had made its way towards her. Out of the dust a giant robotic spider scuttled out of the crater it had created when it fell to the ground.

_AHHH! Spider, I hate spiders!"_ Suzumebachi shrieked in fright, the buzzing she caused in Soifon's head nearly knocked the poor girl out. _"KILL IT! Kill the damn thing!"_ She continued to yell, forcing Soi down to her knees as she tried to fight off the pain her Zanpakuto's voice was causing her.

_"Damn it you stupid fairy calm down, it's a stupid machine not an actual spider! So please stop or we're all going to die!"_ The last part seemed to get through to Suzumebachi, because she instantly stopped her screaming. Which was just in time since the robot's leg was coming down on Soi for a killing blow.

She dashed out of its way, and ran over to the prone form of Renji. He was just coming to when she reached him.

"D-did any-one get the license plate of the tank that ran me over…"

"… Tanks don't have license plates…" Soifon replied dryly as she reached down to offer her arm to the fallen man.

"…Oh…" He then took her hand and stood up. "Well still it felt like a tank hit me… god that's going to leave a bruise… umm where is Rukia? He asked as he looked around him for the petite girl.

"I-I'm right here." Said a dazed voice from under a pile of rocks, her hand raised to show them where she was. Soi and Renji rushed over to help the girl out.

"Ow… did anyone get the license p-"

"Tanks don't have license plates… and can we please focus on the giant robot spider that is trying to kill us!" Soifon said exasperated, they only had twenty minutes to get back to the shore and with the way things were going right now that didn't seem possible at the moment.

The three cadets jumped in different directions when the large machine attacked again, this time with a rain of bullets coming their way.

Renji used Zabimaru to deflect the shots, Rukia then used Sode no Shirayuki,

"Some no mai Tsukishiro."

She held her Zanpakuto upside down the blade glowed brightly while she made a slashing motion when the spider was in position. A large ice circle formed around her intended target which froze everything it touched. The circle not only froze the ground but everything within the circle's influence including anything above it up in the air, creating an extending pillar of light that then froze all within in the circle. Shortly after being frozen, the pillar of ice shattered destroying the Spider in the process… or so they thought.

"DAMN! That was the coolest thing ever… no pun intended." Renji was once again left in awe of Rukia's power. Rukia blushed a bright red and muttered a shy thanks.

"Alright, now that that's over with let's get out of here… we have fifteen minutes to get back to the shore." Soi then turned to go, Renji and Rukia close behind her. They didn't get far before they heard a loud screech.

"What the hell is that!" Renji shouted as he held his hands to his ears. Rukia, who also had her ears covered, looked behind the tall man and gasped. The Robotic spider she had thought she had destroyed was lifting itself out of ice chunks it had been buried under.

"…well that's not good…" She whispered stunned.

"…Crap…" Renji seconded that motion.

"RUN!" Soifon shouted to the two stunned cadets. They didn't have time for that. Both Renji and Rukia didn't need to be told twice, as they turned and ran after Soi and away from the metal monstrosity.

* * *

"Crap! This is the third time I've had to use Sode no Shirayuki… and that thing still refuses to go down." Rukia panted leaning on Renji, who was just as tired as she was. No matter how many times he used Zabimaru, it just couldn't get passed the machines thick armor.

_"Soifon,"_ Soi was surprised to hear the seriousness in her Zanpakuto's voice, _"Now is the time to release me… My blade can penetrate almost anything, and my poison can eat-a-way at everything… I don't know why you're being so stubborn, but please release me and let me help."_ Suzumebachi was begging to be released; she really did want to help her master.

Soifon pulled Suzumebachi out of her sheath and held her out in her right hand,

"Sting all Enemies to Death… Suzumebachi" The entire sword glowed white and shrank in size. When the emitted glow died off, it revealed that Suzumebachi had taken on a completely different form.

Covering Soifon's right wrist was a gold gauntlet with a small chain linked to a large, thick "stinger" on Soifon's middle finger. The cone-like shaped "stinger" extended at a length about twice as far as the normal extension of her finger, allowing Soifon's striking distance to increase slightly. Ornately decorated in gold and black, the Shikai was fitting of its name, as the pattern and shapes resembled that of a hornet.

In a flash Soifon disappeared from site, only to reappear behind the robots back. A Hōmonka grew over the spiders front left leg, where the gears were visible.

"First strike…" Soifon was then gone a second time. This time she reappeared next to Renji and Rukia.

"…and that was the second…" The Hōmonka glowed red, and the robotic spider crashed down on itself defeated.

"… wow… I take it back Soi has the coolest power ever…" Rukia just nodded.

"Alright we need to go… now! We only have three minutes to get back to the ship… so move out!"

* * *

Soi's group was making a mad dash for the shore, their time was running out. Suddenly, the robotic menace crashed out of the wall knocking Soifon down to the ground.

_"What the… Suzumebachi I thought you said you had a guaranteed two hit kill_?"

_"I do… look the wires are fried. This thing is falling apart… It just needs more time to fully work. So run!"_ and Soifon did, she ran as fast as her tired body would allow her towards the disembarking assault boats. Both Rukia and Renji franticly waving her over helpless to do anything else but hold out their hands to her in encouragement.

She was close enough to the opened hatch and jumped, she reached out to the proffered hands. Both her comrades clasped the outstretched hand and pulled her into the hull though the danger was still not over. The large spider was still after them. When Soi thought it was going to crash into their boat, Urahara came to their rescue.

He sat at the gun turret, and fired round after round into the mechanical menace turning it into swish-cheese. It finally went down.

She slumped to the ground, Renji and Rukia following suite all three of them tired from their whole ordeal.

"I really hate spiders."

* * *

fixed it up a tiny bit nothing noticable really, and I added line breaks since the damn site removed the old ones.

-K


	6. Congratulations you Passed

Chapter Six: Congratulations you Passed

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N Oo…oo..oo Yoruichi is in the next chapter…

* * *

The trip back to the Garden was uneventful. Soifon and her two companions were so tired after their mission that Urahara had found them sprawled out asleep in the conference room of the assault ship.

Back at the town of Seireitei, Rukia had parted ways with squad five; she had to be back with her own squad for debriefing.

"What a day." Renji groaned as he rotated his arms in a circle, tying to work out the kinks. Aizen scoffed,

"Right because we had so much to do…" He replied sardonically, he then turned when he heard his name being called. His two lackeys were making their way over to him.

"Yo Aizen! How's it going… how did your mission go?" asked Gin when he stopped next to Aizen, Tousen taking the other side.

"… Tch those two did nothing but complain the whole time… I'm surprised they made it out all."

He then walked away with his two companions, leaving behind a sputtering Renji and fuming Soifon… well Suzumebachi was fuming Soi was just doing her best to ignore everyone.

A few moments later left Soifon wishing that she had left as well, because at that moment Urahara decided to make his presence known.

"OH SOI-CHAN, WHERE ARE YOU" The goof called out not watching his steps, "… oh hey Soi there you are!" He said as he bumped into the petite girl's back making her stumble a bit.

"Any-who I just wanted to say great job out there! You worked well with your team and… uh speaking of team where is Aizen?" Urahara looked left and right for said man.

"Man that bastard ran off once we got back…" Renji growled crossing his arms.

"Right…anyway just be back at the Garden before sundown… have fun with your free time… ok then bye-bye." He bowed his head and went on his way towards the school cars.

"Anyway let's head over to the cars… I want to get some sleep before they give our results." Renji started to walk towards the exit of the town, Soifon following quietly behind.

* * *

"W-WHAT THE HELL! Where are all the vehicles!" Renji shouted as he looked for one of the Garden's cars.

"It seems like we were too late… we took too long to get back, and it's your entire fault. I told you not to stop by the accessory shop." Soi said tired, she sat down on the bench near the car depot and leaned back. She closed her eyes and let the soothing sounds of the ocean calm her. Of course Renji had to break into her nice peaceful moment.

"But I really wanted to get some upgrades for Zabimaru… plus how was I supposed to know that they wouldn't wait for us! GAH how are we going to get back to the Garden now!" He ran his hands through his hair, and sat next to Soi mimicking her pose.

"…We'll just have to walk back… it shouldn't be too bad." Soi opened her eyes and watched the few clouds in the sky drift lazily south. "We should head out now… it will take longer to get back without a car… we should be able to make it before they give the test results… lets go Renji." Soi took a deep breath and rose up from her seat. She waited for Renji to do the same before heading for the exit of the town.

* * *

The Sun was hot as it beat down on the two cadets' heads, as they made the long journey back to Seireitei Garden.

"I can't believe how freaking hot it is… GAH my brain is baking!" Renji who was stumbling along the road couldn't help but complain. The heat was killing him, and his uniform wasn't helping him at all. He turned his head to the side and viewed his companion as she walked in a rigid fashion. He could see that the heat was affecting her as well. The heavy jacket of her uniform had to be very uncomfortable. He was actually a bit jealous that she could go on without a complaint.

"Hey Soifon… how do you think we did on the exam? I mean we did disobey orders… do you think they'll mark us down for that?" He decided to ask, he hoped it would help distract his thoughts of how hot he was.

"… I don't know… I hope not, I… no we worked hard to accomplish our objective… we'll just have to wait and see what happens." Soi sighed; she too was worried that Aizen's orders had a negative impact on their scores. She once again wished that she had been placed on another team… though she wouldn't have minded having the red headed loud mouth with her again…

"You're right we can't take back what happened, but we did do an awesome job! Heck we even went beyond the call of duty to insure Rukongai's victory!" He said happily, "Hey we still have a few hours before the results come out! Soi would you like to go train a bit before we have to get back." He turned to his partner, hope in his eyes, and for some reason Soifon couldn't refuse him.

"Sure… there's a forest nearby, it may have some Hollows lurking around." Renji whooped with joy and ran towards the woods as fast as he could.

"Ha-ha I'll race you there Soi-chan!" He knew that if she chose to, Soifon could beat him there ten times over, but it was fun trying to get the usually serious girl to let loose. Even of it was for a short while.

"Damn it Abarai! What did I tell you about using that suffix!" Soifon then gave chase, her lips twitching as she fought back a smile.

* * *

"Well that was fun…" Renji winced as he pulled his sore body to the front gate of the Garden, "… ok maybe not…" He sat down on a bench located next to the gate. Soifon doing the same, though she wasn't as hurt as he was but she was a bit sticky and she stank a bit too.

They had been training in the woods fighting low level Hollows, when a giant shadow had fallen over them. They had barely gotten out of the way before rows of razor sharp teeth took out a chunk of earth, not to mention a small bug like Hollow, into its gargantuan mouth.

"What the hell is that thing!" Renji shouted from the left side of the massive beast. It looked like a giant reptile with red scales, and odd angles mask with eerie yellow eyes. It stood on two mammoth hind legs, sharp talons on three toes of both feet. It had scrawny front paws that looked useless on such a monster, and its thick tall looked like it could crush a tank with one hit. It was easily twenty feet tall and forty feet long.

"Oh my… that's one big Hollow…"

Said Hollow reared its large head back and roared. It then charged at Renji, who was frozen to his spot in fear. Soifon flash stepped over to him and pulled him out of the monsters path. The Hollow not to be deterred from its easy meal swung its tall at the two. Soi grabbed a fistful of Renji's hair and forced him to dive for cover, she was close behind.

"Shit that might be a Rexaur-" Soi dragged Renji up from the ground and ran behind some trees, "No I take that back that thing is a Rexaur! Shit this is not good, those things can kill with just one hit. Oh and let's not forget most weapons can't even scratch the surface of their scales." Soi ducked behind the tree's trunk when the Rexaur turned her way.

"So wait, Zabimaru won't work on that thing?" asked Renji as he pulled out his sword from its sheath.

"…No… I don't think even Suzumebachi could cut through that thing's hide." Soifon grabbed Renji's arm and dived out from behind the tree just before it was destroyed from the impact of the Rexaur's tail. What was left of the tree rained down upon the two cadets heads.

"Well this is not good… what are we supposed to do then?" Renji stood and ran behind another tree with Soi close behind. "We could always run away!" He whispered as he watched the Rexaur raise its head into the air and sniff.

"… No we can't… Rexaur's have a great sense of smell. Plus they can reach speeds of forty mph." What Soifon didn't mention was that she could easily outrun the thing, but with Renji with her that would be impossible. They were stuck and it looked like there would be no way out.

_"Oh! Oh! I have an idea!"_ Suzumebachi mentally spoke up her hand raised in the air swinging wildly, _"Soi-chan you can use me to kill that thing!"_ She said happily, a huge grin on her face, it actually scared Soi.

_"… And how did you come to that conclusion?"_ Soifon asked her Zanpakuto, dreading the answer. She had to jump out of the way when the Rexaur once again found their hiding place with its tail.

_"Ok now let me tell you my plan and no interruptions until after I'm finished!"_Suzumebachi wagged a mental finger in front of Soifon's mind's eye.

_"Ok you know how you can't penetrate the Hollows skin. Well what about taking it out from the inside."_ Soifon blinked in confusion,

_"I'm sorry what was that… you want that thing to __**eat **__me! What are you insane!"_ Soifon knew her Zanpakuto was crazy, she just didn't think she was that crazy. She felt a tug on her sleeve and found herself on the ground with Renji on top of her yelling.

"Soifon are you crazy that thing almost took your head off!" He then pulled her up and ran behind a large boulder. "What happened back there? One minute your alert the next you just blank out… are you ok?"

"Yes… and I think I may have a plan… a crazy one, but a plan none the less."

"Hey that's great! So what is your plan, and how can I help out?" Renji asked eager to get out of their situation through any means possible.

"_Well _… I need the Rexaur to…" Renji wasn't able to hear the last part because Soi started to mumble.

"I'm sorry Soi, what was that… what do you need to get the Rexaur to do?"

"… Damn it I need the Rexaur to eat me, well I need it to swallow me whole anyway!" Soi exclaimed as she turned her head away sullenly.

"… You want the Hollow to… to _eat_ you! Soifon have you completely lost your mind!" Renji knew he was pushing his luck by yelling at the short tempered girl but she was talking complete madness. She stood tall with her arms crossed, and even though she was much shorter than the red headed man it seemed like she was towering over him. Soifon just looked him in the eyes her stare not wavering.

"F-Fine, but how are you going to get it to swallow you without being torn in half?" was his next question.

"… I have no idea…" Soi said deadpan which caused Renji to face palm, "But I still need to get it to eat me… and I need you to distract it while I'm in there… to much movement may make it harder to do what I have to."

"… Umm right keep it in one spot… that should be easy enough." Renji said nervously. Now they had a plan… a really bad one… but it was a plan. So they put it into motion. Soifon would take the lead since she needed to get the Rexaur to eat her.

She ran out of her hiding spot from behind the beast, picked up a fairly large stone and chucked it at the Rexaur's head… it hit with straight on accuracy.

"Oi you overgrown purse, I'm right here!" Soi taunted as the Rexaur turned toward her. It took one long step in her direction, causing the earth to shake, then another. It took only three steps to tower before the cadet.

"Oh… this is such a bad idea." Renji whispered as he watched the Hollow loom over his comrade. Soifon stood petrified, this was a bad idea, she knew it and she knew she was so dead. The Rexaur roared and brought its head down, powerful jaw opened wide, headed for her small form.

"Crap!" Soi crouched down as the Rexaur's mouth closed around her.

"SOIFON!" Renji shouted in distress. The beast swallowed and then turned to the young man. It made its way to him eyes gleaming in hunger. The shaking of the ground brought him out of his shock.

"Alright Soi wanted me to keep it still and… crap how the hell do I do that!" Renji ducked under the powerful tail that had swung at him, destroying a boulder in the process, the small rocks raining down on his, causing scratches.

"Right, Howl Zabimaru!" Renji swung his Zanpakuto out at the beast. His sword hit the Rexaur on the chest, but like Soifon had said the Hollow's hide was too thick. There wasn't even a scratch.

"Oh man… this sucks!" He dodged the tail again, though when he turned to face the beast he twisted his foot.

"OW! Crap, this is so not good." He growled as he landed on his ass the Rexaur standing over him, drool making its way down a scaly jaw.

_"Oi Renji what the hell do you think you're doing!"_ Chimpette shouted in his ear, while Snakey chuckled behind her. _"Why don't you use a sealing Kidou on the damn thing!"_ She continued to reprimand the young man.

_"I'm no good with Kidou, and you know it!"_ He argued as he tried to stand back up.

_"Fine then get killed and let your teammate die!"_ Chimpette had a scowl on her face as she watched the Rexaur descend on them.

_"FINE!"_ then out loud he shouted, "**Bakudou 1: First Restraint Obstruction**" The Rexaur was instantly halted in its tracks.

_"See I told you, you could do it… good job Renji, now make sure to keep it like that."_ Zabimaru then faded away to the back of his mind, allowing Renji to fully focus on the beast who was struggling to escape.

"Tch come on Soi, what the hell is taking so long… I can't keep this up forever." And he couldn't there was sweat on his brow as he struggled to maintain the binding on the Hollow, but he was running low on energy. Just when he thought that he couldn't hold it anymore. A strange glow started to appear on the surface of the beast's hide. It started to take shape into some sort of Butterfly.

"Alright!" Renji exclaimed as he recognized the pattern as Soi's special attack. In another second the Rexaur gave one final roar before disintegrating into nothing, leaving behind a sticky Soifon.

"That was awesome! Your Zanpakuto didn't leave anything be- whoa!" He stopped short at the smell radiating off the girl. He took a few steps back.

"Umm… maybe we should just head back to the Garden." Soifon just glared, before pushing past him in a huff.

* * *

"We really should get inside… I could use a visit to the med bay, and you really could use a shower. No offense intended!" Renji was quick to add when Soi turned sharp eyes towards him.

"… Whatever, let's get inside." Soifon stood from the bench and headed for the entrance of the Garden. Once inside Renji bid his partner a quick goodbye before he limped off to the med bay. Soi wondered what would happen to the young man when Unohana found out about his lack of being able to perform even a simple healing Kidou.

Oh it wouldn't be pretty, that was for sure.

"Soi-chan! I see you're finally back and… umm what's that smell?" Urahara tilted his head upwards and sniffed. "It must be bean burrito day at the cafeteria, I just love BB day, too bad it never sits well with my stomach… if you know what I mean ha-ha!" Soifon blushed she really hated her instructor at that moment.

"Anyway I have to meet up with Byakuya and the Headmaster. I would like you to come with me. I need to talk to you after." Urahara didn't give her a chance to decline before pulling on her arm and dragging her behind him as he headed to the main hall. There at the hall that lead to the library stood Byakuya and Headmaster Yamamoto talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Hello sorry I'm late, but I had to find one of my little lost sheep ha-ha, and look I found her!"

Byakuya rolled his eyes while Headmaster Yamamoto just smiled. The dark haired male turned back to the Headmaster and continued with his report, as if Urahara had not interrupted in the first place.

"It seems that the mission was a success. The cadets have all returned safely and we even had a few graduates… there would have been more profits to garner had the Las Noches troops continued their attack. It was strange that they started the occupation on the town over an old rundown tower…"

"Hmm… we have received word from the Rukongai noble house. Las Noches has agreed to pull its troops out as long as the town keeps the tower up and running." Yamamoto said quietly, though his voice could easily be heard and felt reverberating down Soi's spine, she could feel his power through the words he spoke.

"So I was right… we could have been declared heroes had that stupid withdrawal order not come in." A voice interrupted the meeting causing four head to turn in its direction. Aizen stood near the stairs leading to the elevators a scowl on his face.

"You were just looking for a fight." Urahara said sarcastically Byakuya at his side nodding in agreement.

"My dear instructor, those are rather hurtful word for an aspiring student such as myself. I put my all into what I do, and a mediocre Instructor such as you would never understand my hardships." Urahara frowned at Aizen's mocking voice.

"That's enough Aizen," Byakuya interrupted, he then continued to reprimand the cadet, "Speaking of all; you will be taking all the responsibility for leaving your designated spot. Is that understood?" Aizen glared at the dark haired man.

"Tch… is it not the Captain's duty to take the best course of action when faced with a difficult decision. That is how one gains the advantage in war."

"That may be so, but you directly violated an order, if one cannot even follow a simple command then they do not deserve any form of leadership roles, and calling you a Captain after that would be a joke." Byakuya replied venomously, his form stiff as he glowered at the other man. Yamamoto spoke in his grave voice as he looked his pupil in the eye

"Hmm… very interesting, since you have disobeyed orders Aizen, then you leave me no choice you will be disciplined for your irresponsible behavior. You must follow orders exactly during combat, but do not think I am without sympathy. I understand the need to make a name for yourself and not live as some unknown character in history…" A man with light amber eyes, silver grey hair, a small black handlebar mustache with tanned skin, came up to Yamamoto and whispered into his ear. The Headmaster nodded once.

"Thank you Chojiro… I'll be right there in a moment. It seems that I must cut this meeting short. Good day to you all." Yamamoto walked past the group; he paused once he passed Soifon.

"It must be bean burrito day at the cafeteria." Soifon blushed mortified, it was a good thing she had her back turned to the men. Aizen stalked off after the Headmaster, most likely in search of his two lackeys and Byakuya left not to long after him with only a nod in Urahara's direction.

"So what did you need to talk about Urahara?" Soi questioned after they were alone. Urahara looked down at her a sheepish smile gracing his face.

"… Umm I actually forgot what I was going to talk to you about he-he… sorry… Oh! But I do want to let you know that you have an hour before the results, so you should go relax or whatever it is young kids these days do." He waved and then left. A few cadets passed by talking amongst themselves, when one stopped and sniffed the air.

"Is it Bean burrito day today?" Soifon decided it was time to make herself scarce, and disappeared into the hall that would lead her to the dorms.

* * *

Soi spent her hour scrubbing the putrid smell of the Rexaur's stomach content out of her skin, hair, and heck somehow she even had to scrub it out of her mouth. When she finally stepped out of her shared shower she looked as red as a cooked lobster, but she couldn't have been more happier to finally feel clean again. She then went to her small bare room, noting that her roommate was not there… thank god.

She was preparing to head out when an announcement came on,

_"GOOD DAY CADETS! This is your favorite instructor speaking!"_ Soifon groaned at the man's voice. If there was one other person that Soi couldn't stand besides Urahara, it was Shunsui Kyoraku. The man was a womanizer, pervert, loudmouth, and drunk. It was a shame that most of the student body liked him so much.

_"I have a wonderful announcement to make today! It would seem that my lovely assistant Nanao-chan has accepted my proposal of marriage-"_ There was a loud bang over the intercom and a struggle with Kyoraku begging for mercy. Then everything was quiet. A moment later another voice came over the speakers, this one sounding stoic with barely contained anger. The voice of Nanao Ise,

_" Good Evening cadets, first I would like you all to disregard what Instructor Kyoraku said before. There were no such agreements of the sort between myself and Instructor _Kyoraku._ *Ahem* I would also like to take this moment to inform all the cadets who have participated in today's field exam to report to room twelve's hall, where your results will be handed out. I repeat all cadets who participated in the field exam are to report to the hall of room twelve… that will be all."_ There was a brief moment of static before the intercom was closed.

_"Ha-ha that was funny… poor Kyoraku abused by such a ruff woman and- HEY are you even listening to me!"_ Suzumebachi appeared before Soifon's mind's eye frowning at her master.

_"You know most masters appreciate their Zanpakuto! You on the other hand seem to have no respect for me!"_ There was a pause before Soi decided to speak, since she really didn't need a headache at the moment.

_"I do appreciate you Suzumebachi… you know I'm not a person of many words, so I apologize for my insensitivity."_ Suzumebachi huffed and muttered a _'fine'_ before disappearing into the back of Soi's mind. She would have to do something nice for her Zanpakuto later on to make it up to her.

* * *

The hall near room twelve was packed with hopeful cadets who were waiting to see if they passed the field exam. As Soi made her way into the hall so spotted Hitsugaya pressed close into Matsumoto's chest. It looked like the poor boy was turning blue from lack of air. She decided to make a beeline towards them, and maybe help the prodigy out a bit.

"Hello Matsumoto, may I speak with Hitsugaya for a moment?" Rangiku looked reluctant at first, but the cold stare Soi was giving her made up her mind.

"Sure thing Soifon." She released Hitsugaya, who took in a lung full of air, and ran off to find Momo.

"Oh dear God! I thought I saw my life flash before my eyes there for a moment. Thank you for your assistance Soifon." Hitsugaya said after her was sure he wouldn't fall to the floor. "By the way how did your squad do in the exam?"

"… We would have failed had Byakuya and Urahara not stepped in and placed the blame on Aizen, and his blunt disregards for orders, other than that I really have no clue on what they gave us credit for." Soi sighed and placed a hand to her chin in a thinking manner. Hitsugaya gave a secretive smile to his friend.

"Eh it couldn't have been any worse than my team. They placed me as captain, with Matsumoto and Kiyone Kotetsu. I swear between the two of them there was no winner in how loud one could be! It was a disaster, especially when I tried to give out orders; both of them somehow got me to do everything I had ordered them to do!" The silver haired youth slumped his shoulders in defeat as he remembered trying to control the situation he had been placed in. Soi patted him on the back in a rare show of affection.

"At least we know that if we fail this time, we could always demand to be placed in the same squad next time." Hitsugaya looked up at his friend and let out a short laugh.

"Yeah you're right; at least you follow the rules. GAH she's coming back! I got to go, Bye Soi!" The young boy then ran in the opposite direction of Matsumoto who had been making her way back to them. When she saw Soi alone, she snapped her fingers with a frown, and walked away in search of the silver haired youth.

"Yo Soifon over here!" Soi turned to the voice and spotted Renji near the back wall with Rukia next to him. Both cadets were waving her over, though Rukia was more refined about it. She debated on whether to join them or not. She decided that they weren't so bad and made her way over.

"Hey Soi, how's it going? Oh did you hear about Aizen? He was failed from the exam for disobeying orders. Serves the bastard right, he thought he was oh so better then everyone. Tch now look at him." Renji said smugly as he leaned on the wall.

"… He felt wrong… and even though I think they took his punishment to far, I can't help but be glad that someone like him won't represent SeeD." Rukia added as she hugged herself as if she was cold. Soi couldn't help but agree with the young noble.

* * *

A few moments later, in which the small group talked about nothing in particular, a tall muscular man with wild and aggressive appearance walked into the room. Kenpachi Zaraki strode into the room his spiked hair jingling with every step he took and his uncovered eye moved around the room inspecting each student with disapproval. His cloths had a ragged look to them, and as he walked by a few students they flinched at his imposing figure.

He finally stopped when he reached the center of the hall.

"Ok all you maggots, I have here the test result, and I got to say I'm not impressed." His voiced boomed throughout the hall, many of the students taking several steps back in fear. "It seems that many of you are still too weak, and need way more training… anyway only _four_ cadets passed this year… really that is sad, four little kids passed out of the twelve of you. Oh well that just means you get to spend another year with me, and believe me when I say you will train until you die HAHAHA!" His laugh was maniacal and reverberated throughout the hall, and some would even say that they heard it all through the school.

"… Ah that was fun but now to call out the lucky four who passed the exam… now where did I put that list." Kenpachi patted himself down as he tried to find the papers. Then out of nowhere Yachiru, Kenpachi's assistant, popped up over his shoulder waving around a small stack of papers.

"Hi Ken-chan, are these what you're looking for!" she then thrust the paper in front of Kenpachi's face. He carefully took them from the young girl and read over them.

"Yes, thank you Yachiru." He then looked up to the cadets, "Now when I call your names come up and stand next to Yachiru." Soi noticed that the pink haired girl was no longer on the large mans shoulder. Instead she was hopping around near the entrance that would lead them over to the elevators.

"… So anyway the first name I'm going to call is… Hitsugaya Toushiro." There was a loud squeal as Matsumoto lifted up the young boy and swung him around in a circle. Hitsugaya was red with embarrassment as he tried to get his over excited friend to drop him.

"Matsumoto let go! I have to stand next to Kenpachi's kid!" She still wouldn't let him down, "Please let go this is embarrassing!" He tried one last time to get out of the blonds surprisingly strong hold by pushing off her large chest. Soi didn't think it could be possible but Hitsugaya proved her wrong by becoming an even darker shade of red as he realized what he had done.

"Oh Shiro-kun I didn't know you were such a pervert." Masumoto said good-naturedly as she set the silver haired youth down. Poor Hitsugaya was frozen to his spot mortified at what he had done, though he did quickly snap out of it only to start bowing several times and offering a stuttered 'sorry' every time he bowed. He then turned and ran over to Yachiru, shoulders hunched as he kept his back to everyone in the room.

"…Yes well the next person I call will be… ha-ha well lookie here little Byakuya's sister has made it into SeeD, Kuchiki Rukia get over here!" Rukia was stunned, she had made it, and she could now be with her brother.

"Hey great job Rukia! You made it, now stop standing here like a log and get over there." Renji clapped the noble on the back causing her to stumble forward. Soifon grabbed her arm to keep the young girl from falling to the ground.

"Watch it; you don't want to make a fool out of yourself now that you're a SeeD." Soi whispered into Rukia's ear as she straightened up. Rukia nodded and offered Soi a small smile before leaving to join Hitsugaya near the hyperactive pink haired girl.

"… Let's see here the next name I call will be… oh ho well what do we have here, Abarai Renji, one of my own pupil's has made it into SeeD. Congratulations boy. Now get over here!" Renji was swift to comply. Though he did pause to give Soi a quick thumbs up. He joined Rukia and gave her a high-five, causing the poor girl to shake out her hand after.

"… Now the last student to make the list is… Soifon… congrats to all of you who passed, and the rest of you maggots who failed, remember you now have to start all over. And let me tell ya I'm looking forward to it." Kenpachi turned to his assistant and told her to lead the way towards the Headmaster's office.

"Yay we get to see Gramps! I wonder if he has anymore candy!"

* * *

Later in Headmaster Yamamoto's office, the four new SeeD's could be seen standing at perfect attention in front of the Headmaster himself as he stood before them imposingly.

"Today you four stand before me as new additions to our wonderful Seireitei Garden, let me begin by saying congratulations to all of you… second I shall warn you all that becoming a SeeD is not for the faint of heart. You are combat specialist and therefore must fight whoever is deemed a threat by Seireitei Garden. You will be dispatched all over the world fighting enemies who would show no hesitation in killing you or those around you. However, that is only one aspect of SeeD you will also be heroes to those how need them and offer hope to the hopeless…and those things you will have to learn for yourselves. Now when I call your name come up to my desk and I shall hand you your certificate." He then turned to Chojiro and took the first certificate from his assistant.

"Hitsugaya Toshiro…" Hitsugaya stiffly walked up to the Headmaster and accepted his certificate with a nod. "… You did well young man, and I will continue to look forward to the progress you make as one of the youngest cadets to ever pass as a SeeD." Yamamoto whispered for only the young man to hear.

"Next, Kuchiki Rukia…" Rukia walked up to the old man nervously. Yamamoto offered a small smile that put her at ease and whispered so only she would hear. "… Another Kuchiki to pass through these halls… it makes me proud to have both you and your brother at my Garden… Speaking of which, I hear you've taken over the next festival planning." When Rukia looked up shocked Yamamoto offered a chuckle and continued, "I'm looking forward to it, and I have the upmost faith in you to make it great."

"Abarai Renji…" Renji walked up to the Headmaster and accepted his certificate with a grin. Yamamoto quietly spoke to the young man. " ..You young man have quite a temper and a lot of power, but remember those qualities don't make a soldier… learn to be calm and success will be in your future."

"… And last is Soifon…" Soi strode over to the old man and accepted her certificate with a respectful bow. "… Urahara has told me much about you Soifon, I can't wait to see what you will bring to our magnificent Garden… that is if what your Instructor said about you is true… Good luck child." He then spoke loudly so that the rest of the room could hear.

"Now go out into the world and show them what a member of the Seireitei can do!"

The four new SeeD's gave a brisk salute and left the room.

* * *

"YAHOO! We did it! We're SeeD!" Renji shouted as he skipped around the hall happily holding up his certificate. His three companions looking at him like he was crazy.

"…Yes well I have to be going before Matsumoto decides I've taken to long and organizes a search party for me… God knows I don't need any more embarrassment from that woman… I'll see you at the Garden Festival." He then left down the hall in search of his busty friend. Soi bid a quick farewell to the others and left for her room.

Soi stood in her room and opened her certificate which would show her report and ranking. What she saw surprised her. On her report it showed that she got full scores on the prerequisite and written portion of her exam. On her Field Exam it showed that she passed with a ninety-three percent. Making her a Level 2 SeeD, to be precise it meant she was a captain level SeeD. If she were to go on any missions in the near future, it would be her who made all the decisions.

She would have to thank Urahara later, since he had accompanied her to the Cavern of Names. He had also been her Instructor for the written exam. It looked like the day didn't turn out so bad.

"Oi Soifon… I got your uniform for the Festival tonight!" Renji's voice came from the other side of her door.

She spoke too soon the day just got worse…


	7. Let’s Dance

Chapter Seven: Let's Dance

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N- I said Yoruichi would be here, and as promised she is, though you may have to squint to see her… J/K…

* * *

Soi stepped out of her room after she had changed into her SeeD uniform, which was a black blazer and pressed skirt, her uniform also sported several metals that Renji's did not.

"Hey, hey, hey you're looking good there Captain!" Renji held up two thumbs up and grinned as he inspected Soi's uniform. "Anyway we should head out the party is already in full swing. Plus there are going to be a room full of hot chicks baby!" Renji rubbed his hands together as he pictured himself surrounded by dozens of beautiful women all clamoring for his attention. Soi looked on in disgust as a bit of drool made its way down the redheads chin.

"Ugh please wipe your mouth you pig…" She then shoved passed the spluttering male as he wiped at his face in embarrassment. They made their way out of the room and towards the Ballroom that would be hosting the year's Garden Festival.

* * *

The Ballroom was a beautiful room decorated with marbled pillars and a glass domed roof that allowed everyone to see the beautiful starry sky outside. The polished floors reflected the evening sky, and the room's lighting was dimmed giving it an intimate feel, with couples dancing the night away to slow classical melodies being played by an anonymous band on the massive stage at the far end of the Ballroom. Waiters in sharp suites were walking around serving champagne to all the guests as they chatted to one another. All in all it was quite breathe taking scene one to be enjoyed for ages to come, to bad there seemed to be at least one person who was determined not to be drawn in by the beauty of it all.

Soifon stood next to a pillar ignoring everyone around her as she held a glass of champagne up to her lips. She had ditched Renji as soon as they made it through the door wanting to be left alone, and away from the large crowds of official looking guests.

She found herself bored after awhile and was about to head back to her dorm when Rukia popped up in front of her.

"Hello Captain… wow it's so strange to think of you as a captain already. You must be so proud! But anyway I wanted to ask you something." She paused a moment and waited for Soifon to nod. "Ok… I know this sounds weird and all but I was wondering, umm… would you please join the festival committee? It would seem that I am in desperate need of people who could help." Rukia said dejectedly as she lowered her gaze to the floor. Soi thought about it for a moment and was going to turn the girl down when Suzumebachi made her entrance.

_"Oh please Soi… please join! I love these sorts of things! Designing things and setting up parties are my kind of thing… Please, please, please JOIN!"_ Soi sighed; leave it to Suzumebachi to ruin her day, but she had promised to do something nice for her Zanpakuto after their final exam.

"…Alright I'll help whenever I can." Soi watched as Rukia's face lit up with happiness, and before she knew what was happening, the young woman had her arms around Soi in a tight hug.

"Thank YOU!"

_"Wahoo!"_

Soi pulled the young woman off of her as gently as possible, while mentally telling Suzumebachi to quiet down.

"… It's no problem… now if you wouldn't mind I'd like you be alone." Rukia nodded and walked away. She had spotted Renji and shouted after him,

"Oi Renji you're joining the festival committee and I won't take no for an answer from you, you lazy bum… and quit harassing those poor girls!" The redhead paled and tried to make an excuse. One which Soi didn't hear since a shadow had fallen over her.

"That was a very nice thing you did for that cute little SeeD." A voice like velvet camefrom behind her. She turned around to tell the person off, but stopped dead in her tracks. There in front of her stood one of the most beautiful women in the world. She was a dark-skinned woman with golden-colored eyes that left Soifon in a daze. She also had long purple hair, which she kept up in a simple ponytail, and a smile that could melt steel. She was dressed in a simple black dress that fell just above her knees, showing off all the woman's alluring features attracting many wondering eyes. It left little to the imagination, and Soi couldn't help but look the woman up and down.

*Ahem* the woman coughed snapping Soifon out of her stupor and causing her to blush as she realized she was caught staring.

"So little Seedling would you care to dance." The beautiful woman asked with a bone melting pout that left Soi sputtering for something to say.

"Uh… well… I-we… n-sure." The mystery woman clapped and grabbed Soi's arm and dragged her onto the dance floor. Soi finally realizing what she had agreed to tried to pull away from the woman.

"Oh no you don't! You said you'd dance with me, and dance with me you shall!" The dark skinned woman grinned as she twisted Soi back into her unintentionally crushing Soi's face into her ample bosom.

The poor girl was frozen to the spot both mortified and pleasantly surprised with the woman's softness. The woman started to sway to the beginning of the waltz. Soi feeling the movement pulled her head away from its comfortable spot.

"Umm excuse me miss… I-I'm not really well versed at dancing. We should stop now before I do something to embarrass us." Soi then fully pulled away, careful not to touch the beautiful woman in any inappropriate way.

"Relax you'll do fine, just follow my lead and everything will be okay. Now it's easy watch my feet… and one, two, three… one two three, see there you go you're a natural, but then again you are a SeeD you guys can do anything." The dark haired woman said soothingly, her bright golden eyes shining in the dim light causing Soifon to lighten up a bit.

* * *

After a few missteps Soi finally got the hang of it and was dancing like a pro. She was actually enjoying herself and the woman's company. Every time she let out a gentle smile or laugh at one of Soi's poor attempts at humor, left the shorter girl's heart light. When the second song they were dancing to finally ended the mysterious woman pulled away slowly.

"I really enjoyed your company for the evening. You're a great dancer and an even better partner…" Soifon looked up into those mesmerizing eyes happily dazed, "… I have to go now, there's someone I need to talk to, but if we ever meet again I would like to dance with you one more time." With that the dark skinned woman leaned forward and placed a light kiss to Soi's lips, fireworks going off right as their lips met.

"I'll see you around my little Seedling." She left Soi standing in the middle of the dance floor astonished.

_"OH MY GOD! That was like your first kiss! Oh my little girl is growing up so fast!"_ Suzumebachi gushed, offering a mental hug to the stunned girl. _"Oi Soifon did you hear me I said she stole your first kiss… Soi… Soi-chan talk to me…oh dear I think she broke you!"_

It was a moment more before Soi finally came back to her senses.

"… Oh my god she stole my first kiss!" She gasped in shock, and then she noticed she was still standing in the middle of the dance floor, and that there were quite a few people staring at her. She blushed and ran off the dance floor.

* * *

Soi stood on the balcony leaning over the rail, leading out of the Ballroom, looking up at the evening sky filled with stars. Her hand was brushing against her lips as she remembered the dark haired beauty and the stolen kiss. Urahara found her ten minutes later, her stance unchanged.

"I knew you were an excellent student, but I had no idea you were also an outstanding dancer. I'm very impressed Soi-chan." Urahara walked next to her and leaned against the railing.

"…Thank you Urahara… not just for the compliment, but for everything." Soi stood straight and looked at her instructor with unguarded eyes. In them Kisuke saw her happiness, fulfillment, and her vulnerability. All the things she usually kept hidden from the world and Urahara knew that he was finally accepted as a friend to the new Captain.

"It was nothing Soi-chan… and you know that I'll always be here for you right… especially when you need pointers on how to woo the girl ha-ha!" He looped his arm around Soi's shoulder enjoying the blush that covered her entire face.

"I mean talk about hot! Maybe next time you can squee-" Soi punched the man across the jaw nearly sending him over the railing. She called him a pervert and turned to leave.

"W-wait Soi-chan it-it was only a joke… whoa when did you become a twin?" He stumbled after the fuming girl trying to shake off the dizziness. He hooked his arms around her shoulders when he finally caught up his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Please Soi-chan don't be mad. It was only a joke, a really bad one. I'll never tease you like that again I promise."

Soi calmed down and then helped steady Urahara. She then bopped him on top of the head. There was a brief pause.

"So Soi-chan would you ever consider dancing with me?" He winked as he saw her blush once again. He was able to dodge her attack that time.

"Only in your dreams you jerk!" Soi pouted and turned away from the man. He laughed at her antics, but quickly became serious.

"Hey Soifon I need to speak with you about something… can you meet me at the training grounds?"

"… Isn't it a little late to be there… unless GAH you pervert I'm not going to the 'secret room' with you!"

"… What no it's not like that Soi-chan, though we will be talking there, but I really have something important to talk to you about… jeeze and you call me the pervert." Urahara took off his hat and rubbed the back of his head.

"Fine… but let me change first. This skirt is starting to get on my nerves." She finally conceded. Urahara nodded and then walked away to wait at the entrance of the training grounds, while Soi moved to go to her dorm room.

* * *

In the halls that lead to her dorm stood Renji whistling a merry tune as he watched the stars shining through the windows. He turned when he heard her footsteps.

"Hey Soi-chan," Soi ignored his slip… just that once, "I just wanted to let you know that since we are now SeeD's we get our own rooms! No more annoying roommates who eat all your food from the fridge!" He stopped his rant when he noticed her glare, "Uh anyway yours is now across the hall from your old one… room 102… So yeah that was all I'll talk to you later Captain!" He gave a friendly salute and left Soi to herself.

After finding her new room, which was much smaller than the shared one, it was so Spartan that Soi actually found herself missing her old one even the preppy roommate she had shared it with.

Soi had then taken a few moments to unpack a few of the boxes that lined the walls. Once done with that she had gotten dressed in her usual white jacket, dark shirt gloves and pants with yellow belt, and black shoes with her sword strapped to her back horizontally. When she was confident that everything was in its right place she left the room and headed to the training grounds.

"Ok Urahara I'm here what did you want to talk about?" Soi asked when she spotted her Instructor leaning against the wall of the training grounds.

"Well hello to you to Soi-chan… and I told you we would speak once we got to the _secret room_." He actually whispered the last part, as if someone would be listening in on them.

"Now come on Soi-chan it's nearly midnight and we still have a ways to go… oh and make sure to keep alert, you never know what kinds of creepy crawlies we have in here Boo-ha-ha!" he said in an eerie voice while wiggling his fingers under his chin.

He was right, they had barely made it passed the secured gates before they were challenged by several low level Hollows, both of them dispatched their bothersome little pest with little to no trouble.

"Well at least we didn't run into any high level Hollows, like the Rexaur, that would suck." A roar was heard in the distance. "Umm I may have spoken too soon… run Soifon we really don't need to be dealing with those things right now." Soifon didn't need to be told twice, she really didn't want to have to experience being a snack again.

They ran, and they ran fast.

* * *

After about thirty minutes of running and fighting the two SeeD officers finally made it to the 'secret room.'

"Well that was-"

"Urahara if you finish that sentence with the word 'fun'… well I can't be held accountable for what may happen to you." Soi said as she glared at her annoying _friend_, and she would never admit that out loud.

They passed through the door that would lead them into the secret room, which was just an open balcony that offered a great view of the brightly lit Garden and the sky above.

_"Wow…"_ Whispered Suzumebachi as she watched the blue and white rings of the garden float tranquilly like a halo over the massive structure.

"It's beautiful isn't it Soi?" Urahara said as he came up next to the petite woman. He took off his hat and ruffled his hair and then looked up at the spinning halos.

"You know I used to come out here all the time when I was a cadet, wow that was only three years ago… I found that the atmosphere here helped calm me… but enough about that I brought you here tonight because as of-" here Urahara looked down at the watch on his wrist, "… as of 0015h I am no longer an instructor of this Garden… I've been demoted to a regular old SeeD… heck I didn't even make captain this time."

Soifon looked up at Urahara in shock. "Hey now don't give me that look… I actually asked them to remove me from that position."

"Why would you do something like that… everyone at this Garden loves you as their teacher… why would you give that all up?" Soi questioned Urahara, not understanding what could drive him away from something he loved.

"Heheh… Oh Soi-chan, it's because of you that I chose to quit being an instructor… you helped me realize that I missed traveling the world and finding new adventures and discovering new things… In one day I was able to do several new and exciting things, things that I hadn't done in three years… Now that I am no longer required to teach, I can go out there and unlock the mysteries of the world for myself… I'm really excited about it, and who knows we may even be partnered up for our missions." Kisuke smiled down at Soi, who was still shocked about his resent revelation, and his next words to her really left her stunned.

"Thank you Soifon… you helped set me free." He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the dazed Captain, giving her a warm hearted hug.

"…Well I think it's about time we get back to our rooms… "Urahara said as he pulled back from his friend, a smile on his face. Soi nodded since she did not trust her voice at that time.

"Well alrighty then let's head back… and hey we never have to mention this conversation to anyone… ever." Urahara said deadpanned. Soi smirked at his change in demeanor, she would never admit it to anyone but his ability to make fun at even the most dire of situations calmed her down… he truly was a great Instructor… no a great friend.

"Alright Mr. Hat and Clogs let's go…" Urahara's eyes softened as Soi gave him a rare honest smile. He looped his arm over her shoulder and pointed dramatically.

"Onward Soi-chan to a bright and new tomorrow!" Soi sighed dramatically; something's about the man would never change.

* * *

lines added

-K


	8. Dreams

Chapter Eight: Dreams

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N… So Hitsugaya may be a bit OOC in a few parts (well ok everyone may be a bit OOC)… oh well, he's still a badass.

* * *

The next morning came with bright skies and chirping birds, to bad for them Soifon was in a bad mood. She had been rudely awoken at four in the morning by a garden Instructor pounding on her door, telling the newly appointed SeeD captain that she had to meet the Headmaster in his office at eight o'clock in the morning. When she realized that they had interrupted her sleep four hours before said meeting… well let's just say they were lucky she was still half asleep and didn't remember who they were.

Now Soi sat in the cafeteria with a cold cup of coffee and a hotdog on the table in front of her. The bright sun shining through the large windows taking up the entire back wall, if one were to take the time to look out those clear glass walls they would see a beautiful forest that seemed to go on forever. Too bad said beauty was lost on the grumpy Captain.

_"Really hotdogs in the morning, what are you people thinking?"_ Suzumebachi interrupted Soi's peace.

_"Umm… what? Oh the hotdogs, they're really popular amongst the students so it was decided that they would be served all day… which is dumb since they don't last that long and… and what the hell am I doing with a hotdog? I hate meat… It's too early for this crap."_ Soi rambled tiredly. She tilted her head back and allowed the rays of the sun to warm her face.

"Hey Soifon how goes it?" Renji set his plate, which had a bowl of soup on it, and sat down across from his friend (even if she would never admit to it).

"What no way you have a hot dog! That sucks they always go so fast… it's a miracle I even know what they taste like… can I have a bite please!" He stood up and leaned over the table his face too close for comfort.

"Please remove you face from my personal space, or risk losing your head… and take the damn thing I certainly don't want it." Soi pushed the plate with the offending substance towards the redhead who sat down embarrassed. The quiet didn't last long as he picked up the hotdog as if it was a holy object, and held it up towards the sky his eyes shining with happiness and glee.

"Thanks Soi, but what about you? Aren't you hungry… you can have my soup I don't like that flavor anyway." He put down the hotdog and pushed the bowl of soup in front of the petite girl with a grin.

"Eat up… you could do with some meat on those bones."

He didn't see the fist coming his way.

* * *

"Hello Soifon… Renji, how are you this morning?" Rukia asked as she joined her fellow officers at the table. She momentarily froze in shock as she saw Renji's black eye, which was sealed shut, though he seemed to be too engrossed in his hotdog to notice. She then turned to her other friend who had her arms crossed and was glaring silently at the redhead.

"I take it Renji said something stupid again?" Rukia said as she finally sat down a simple meal of toast and jam on her plate. Renji gave an indignant "Hey!" though when Soi just huffed and tilted her head back letting the sun stream down on her face Rukia knew the young man did.

Rukia noted that the way Soi was sitting gave the girl a peaceful expression, one that was usually absent from the petite woman. She turned back to her plate with a blush; she didn't want to anger her friend.

"So I take it you both received the orders to meet in the Headmaster's office. I wonder what he wants to talk about." Rukia then lifted the toast up to her mouth and took a small bite.

"It's obvious that he wants to assign us a mission… I wonder what it will involve." Soi brought her head down and opened her eyes to look at the other girl. Rukia nodded in acknowledgment. She noticed that Renji wasn't paying them any attention. His gaze wholly on the uneaten piece of meat on bread, she leaned over and quickly plucked the hotdog off his plate, and took a bite out of it.

"Mm I love these things, and since you were just going to let it go to waste…" She left the sentence hanging and took another bite, ignoring Renji's opened mouth and wide eyes as he watched her eat his sacred food.

"I… think it's time to go." Soi stood; she really didn't want to be there when the redhead came out of his shock. She had just made it out the double doors when Renji's voice boomed.

"HOWL ZABIMARU!"

* * *

Soi stood outside the Headmaster's door waiting to be let in. A few minutes later Rukia joined her, smug grin on her face. Soi gave her a side glance there was not a scratch on the girl, which surprised Soi since Renji sounded like he was ready to murder her.

"So… do I want to know what happened after I left?" Soi asked after a minute. Rukia looked up and smiled pleasantly.

"Well after you left and Renji blew up like that, I'm still confused on why, my brother showed up and dragged him away to the training grounds… and let's just say Renji may be a few minutes late." Soi winced; she had forgotten that the young woman next to her was related to the fierce Noble. They had no more time to talk because at that moment the Headmaster's assistant walked out.

"Hello girls the Headmaster will see you now… hmm it seems that one of your party members is missing." Chojiro looked around the large waiting room, but did not spot the young SeeD.

"Um Sir, Abarai Renji was summoned by Captain Kuchiki for a private meeting. He should be joining us soon, and if not we can inform him about the briefing." Rukia said, feeling somewhat guilty that Renji was late for the mission brief.

They headed through the double doors; Soi was surprised to see Hitsugaya standing at attention before the Headmaster's desk. They walked to the front of the desk and saluted, and then they too stood at attention.

"Good morning SeeDs." Yamamoto started, to which the three members offered their own brisk 'Sir!'

"Today is an important day too you all. Today marks your first official day as SeeDs, and as luck would have it today brings you your very first mission. You four-" Yamamoto stopped and counted confused when he came up one short. "Hmm was I mistaken to think there would be four SeeD members for this mission?" He asked his Assistant, who shook his head in the negative.

"No Sir, one member is otherwise occupied, he was summoned by Captain Kuchiki for some important matters that I am unaware of." Yamamoto nodded his head once and went back to discussing the mission specs.

"As I was saying you four will be heading out to District seventy-eight of Las Noches, where you will be supporting a resistance faction. There you will meet with a member of the faction; they will come up to you and start a discussion which will carry a hidden request for a password." At that point Chojiro stepped forward.

"This member will say 'There sure are a lot of cats in District seventy-eight.' You are then to reply, 'Yes and the black cat is the most prominent.' That will be your password."

"Umm Sir, will it be just the four of us?" Hitsugaya finally spoke up looking up at the Headmaster.

"Unfortunately yes you four will be it. This mission was taken on as a favor to an old friend. Now Soifon you are squad captain, use your best judgment based on the situation you find yourselves in. Hitsugaya will be your second, while Kuchiki and Abarai offer support. If there are no more questions you are dismissed." The three soldiers saluted once more and then turned to leave.

* * *

The group exited the elevator and was heading to the garage, when a voice rang out behind them.

"Oi guys wait for me!" Renji was waving his hand around in the air as he ran to catch up with them.

"S-sorry I'm so later I just had to 'talk' with Captain Kuchiki about something important." Once he caught up to them he bent down at the waist, hand on knees, to catch his breath. He was covered in bandages.

_"Right talk to the end of the Captain's sword…"_ Soi thought with a roll of her eyes. Rukia turned to the redhead and took the moment to explain what he had missed ignoring his glare.

"Our mission is going to take us to District seventy-eight. We are to meet up with a resistance faction and assist them with whatever it is they want… we will receive more information once we arrive… Umm are you sure you'll be able to assist with the mission. You look pretty bad." Renji growled.

"I wouldn't be in this state if you hadn't stolen my hotdog!" He seethed as he threateningly walked towards the petite girl his hand twitched as he placed it on his sword handle. Before he could do anything stupid Soifon coughed and when he looked at her, she subtly pointed behind the redhead. He quickly turned and came face to face with his worst nightmare.

"Captain Kuchiki, Sir, what are you doing here!" He chuckled nervously when he noticed the dark haired man's deadly glare. He became increasingly uneasy when the Noble started to walk towards him.

"Please Sir I wasn't going to do anything… I learned my lesson the first time!" Renji fell to his knees and bowed low. The Captain gave a snort of disgust and passed the young soldier.

"Worry not you fool. I came to see my sister off." He stopped next to Rukia, and put his hand on her shoulder, "Do well on this mission… and come home safely, and if the fool or anyone else should give you trouble let me know and I shall deal with them." He said so quietly that Renji, Hitsugaya, and Soifon could not hear any of it. Rukia blushed and nodded her head rapidly. She was happy her brother actually came to see her off, it made her more at ease with everything.

"… Here this is for luck…" He handed Rukia a stuffed plushy. It was green in color and cloud or cream swirl shaped, that part was hard to tell, with a smiling face and tan arms and legs. All-in-all the entire thing was badly designed. ".. I made it myself." Rukia looked at the stuffed plushy in surprise.

"Oh thank you brother it is beautiful… I've never seen something so wonderfully done, the stitching, the design… it's all so great." Rukia sounded genuine electing a small smile from the stoic man. He coughed once to hide his pride. He then turned to Soifon. Byakuya walked up to the short woman, his form completely towering over her.

"You are Captain, so make sure to keep my sister safe." He said softly a hint of warning in his voice and the look in his eyes made Soi quickly agree. He nodded once more and left, but not before glaring at Renji one last time, said man shuddered in fear.

"…Umm right we should get going or we're going to miss the train… right Soi." Hitsugaya broke into her thoughts allowing her to come out of her stupor.

"Right lets go." She then quickly made her way to the garage, Renji running to catch up with her both wanting to get as far away from the protective man as possible. Hitsugaya followed at a more relaxed pace which left Rukia alone admiring her brother's 'beautiful' masterpiece.

Soi quickly returned and grabbed the other girl by the scruff of her neck and dragged her away.

* * *

The trip to Seireitei was quiet, for once, and so was getting to the train station. The building that housed the trains was large, with six tracks, three which were occupied with gleaming silver trains. The roof was made of glass letting in a dazzling shower of light through. The light bounced off polished dark wood floors. Signs hung over the tracks giving visitors information on which trains went where, and when certain trains would be in. It was a magnificent sight to those who had never been there.

Soifon left Hitsugaya in charge of purchasing their tickets while the rest of them waited by the tracks. He found them a few minutes later with their tickets and handed each person one. Then it was a quick tickets check by a station attendant, and then boarding the train. They were quickly escorted to the back of the train where their personal cart was, SeeD had a whole section to themselves.

"Oh Yeah this is the life! Look at this room it's fit for a king!" Renji exclaimed as they walked into a large compartment, and it really did look fit for a king. The room was painted red with gold trimmings with redwood flooring, there were two king sized beds, both bolted to the floor, and wall couches that had the softest padding Soi had ever felt. There was also a large window, covered with red and gold drapes, that when open would show the world pass by at an accelerated rate.

Hitsugaya took a seat next to his friend and they both watched Renji run around exploring every inch of the compartment.

"He is such a child." The silver haired youth said as he watched Renji run passed him for a third time. He turned to Soi, and saw her try to hide an amused smile. "What's so funny… he really is acting like a dumb kid who's never been on a train before." Hitsugaya said with a huff, and Soi couldn't keep it in anymore and started to laugh, causing Renji to stop in his tracks in shock.

"Ha-ha… you are the pot calling the kettle black. Your eyes have been taking everything in ever since we got to the tracks. I also noticed that when we first boarded you kept looking towards the engine room, I know you really want to check it out… plus there's been this none stop smile on your face ever since we came on." Hitsugaya blushed, he had thought he had covered his excitement well… leave it to Soi to catch him in the act. Soi ran her fingers through the boy's soft hair, causing him to pout and glare at her actions but he didn't stop her since it was so rare to get her to show any form of affection.

"You don't have to stay here you know. I mean it's a transcontinental trip, most of which will be spent traveling in an underwater tunnel. You should go and explore, we may not have time for it later." When she saw his hesitation she added, "Plus you could use this as a great exercise to do recon… go that's an order." Hitsugaya quickly got up, bowed and ran out the sliding door.

"Well that was a nice thing you did for the kid." Renji said as he sat down next to the Captain. She had forgotten he was there. She crossed her legs and leaned back into the plush couch.

"…He's still a young kid no matter how mature he may seem. He deserves to be able to act like it once in awhile… just be sure to never mention it to anyone else, or risk being a frozen popsicle." Soi said completely deadpan, causing Renji to laugh nervously and nod his head in agreement. He had too many people threatening him already. He didn't need to add a silver haired brat with an ego to it.

"Hey Soi you know anything about District seventy-eight?" Renji asked curious.

"…I know that it used to once be a tiny little nation surrounded thick forest. About twenty years ago Las Noches invaded the tiny country and took over. I also know it used to be called something else but when Las Noches took over they just gave it the name District seventy-eight, after the hundred territories they occupied over the course of time. Most territories were liberated in the war some eighteen years ago, but District seventy-eight was not one of them. Now they say that the small nation has hundreds of different resistant groups all bent on liberating their home." Soi closed her eyes after reciting the information she had gathered from some textbook she had read awhile ago. Renji relaxed into the couch deep in thought. A few moments later Rukia stumbled into the compartment.

Renji noted that she looked sick and quickly stood up to help her over to one of the beds.

"Hey Rukia what's wrong? You eat something that didn't agree with ya?" Rukia didn't reply and just collapsed into the soft mattress.

"W-What RUKIA! Hey Rukia wake up! Soifon there's really something wrong with Rukia… Soifon?" Renji looked over his shoulder to his other female companion when she did not answer him. He was shocked to see her knocked out as well; her body sprawled out over the length of the couch.

"W-What the hell… what's g-going on he-" Renji collapsed to the floor unconscious.

* * *

"RUNNNN!" A tall, muscular, lightly tan-skinned man screamed. He ran out of the thick foliage of the forest. He had hair styled in a rumpled sort of way. He was also sporting a light beard that gave him a rugged look. He was wearing Las Noches fatigues, white cargo pants and shirt with belt, and sword scabbard at his side. He was also running as if his life depended on it.

"Damn it Kurosaki stop running! It was only a tiny spider!" Another voice called out, as a man with dark brown hair fair skin dark blue eyes, covered with glasses, and average build stumbled out of the thicket after the other man. There was also a strange pentacle tied around his left hand. He was also dressed in Las Noches fatigues, though he didn't look like he had a weapon on him.

"KUROSAKI! I said stop!" The brown haired man yelled at the retreating form.

"… I give up…Tch good riddance…" He mumbled as he sat down on a tree root.

"Now, now Ishida there's no need for such words." Another man said as he too walked out of the thicket that surrounded them. He was a tall man with a pale complexion and white hair. His hair was worn long, cascading down his back almost reaching his waist. He wore it parted on the left side with one long piece that tended to fall over his right eye. His brown eyes were shining with amusement.

"Oh please Ukitake; did you not see what I saw? Our fearless leader ran away from a spider no bigger than my pinky nail! Now we have to chase after the fool, through enemy infested territory might I add, in search of him!" Ishida Ryuken stood up angrily and pointed in the general direction of their wayward Captain.

_"…what…the…hell… is this a dream?"_

"We better go. Who knows how far he's gotten to?" Ukitake said as he headed off in the direction that Isshin ran off to. Ryuken sighed and stood to follow his companion. They walked through the gaps of the trees in search of their missing Captain. They were also on the lookout for the enemy. The two men were about to head off in a different direction when they heard cheering.

"HAHAHA YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD DEFEAT THE ALL MIGHTY ISSHIN KUROSAKI! I DON"T THINK SO BITCHES!" Ishida and Ukitake stepped out into a clearing and spotted the dark haired man standing victoriously over the fallen form of an unknown soldier. Ishida stalked over to the cheering man and smacked him over the head.

_"This is the weirdest dream I've ever had…"_

"You stupid fool! What were you thinking running off like that!" Isshin pouted at the irate man.

"Oh Ryu-chan don't be like that…" Ishida started to turn red. Ukitake seeing this took several steps back. All of a sudden a bright white bow appeared in his left hand, which was pointed directly at the dark haired man.

"Uh-oh…" Isshin runaway as a volley of spirit arrows flew at him, putting holes through his uniform form the shots he couldn't completely dodge.

_"… That idiot reminds me of Urahara… I hope that Ishida fellow gets a good shot in…"_

After about an hour of running, Isshin running Ukitake and Ryuken chasing, the group of soldiers found themselves in another clearing. This one had a Las Noches heavy armored vehicle. Isshin looked at the vehicle with bright eyes. He stopped running abruptly.

"Hey Guys I have a great idea! Let's go home!" Isshin headed into the vehicle.

"H-hey Kurosaki what the hell are you talking about! We have a war to fight, we can't just leave! Kurosaki! Hey Kurosaki don't ignore me like that you bastard!" Ishida followed after his friend while still yelling. Ukitake laughed as he boarded the armored car after his comrades. They always managed to make him laugh.

"Las Noches here we come." Isshin pumped his fist as he hit the gas.

* * *

They arrived at the city with relative ease, once within the City of Lights they drove down the well maintained roads and towards a round-about with a beautiful fountain in its center, lights brightly illuminating it.

The City's nickname was due to its constant bright lights. The City was always in an endless state of night. Isshin parked in the middle of the road and hopped out of the car.

"H-Hey Kurosaki you can't leave this… this thing in the middle of the road!" Ishida yelled after the man, as he too stepped out of the car Ukitake followed suite at a relaxed pace.

"Ha don't worry about it Ryuken!" Isshin said completely ignoring the long line of cars behind the parked vehicle. Ishida sighed; there just wasn't any way to deal with the fool. He noticed that his two comrades were already passed a gorgeous stone arch that allowed traffic to drive through it. It had many intricate patterns carved from its bottom to top with an iron gate above both sides of the open arch way.

"Hey wait for me!" He shouted after their backs as he ran to catch up with them.

After a ten minute walk they finally reached down town Las Noches. Isshin had stopped in front of a high class hotel, which looked way out of the scruffy soldier's budged.

"...I can't believe you! We drove all the way here to see that woman!" Ishida grabbed the scruff of Isshin's neck and started to shake him rapidly back and forth. Ukitake stepped in and pulled his irate friend off of Isshin who was turning an ugly shade of purple.

"Come on Ryuken take a deep breath and hold it in…" Ishida did as told, "Ok now release… again now, in with the new out with the old." Ishida finally calmed down enough not to lunge back at the prone man.

"There now that we've all calmed down lets head on in for a few drinks!" Ukitake cheered as he led his friends into the hotel.

They quickly passed through the tastefully done lobby, the floors so clean they reflected the painted ceiling and crystal chandelier. On the other side of the entrance was a receptionist desk done in black marble, with a pretty woman dressed in a black blouse and pleated skirt. A few feet away from the desk were two elevator doors, also black, and on the wall to the left of those doors was an archway with stairs that led down to the basement level bar and stage.

They headed down the stairs.

* * *

The bar was dimly lit offering a relaxed feel to the occupants who came to visit. There was a long bar, with glowing shelves lined with many thousands of different types of drinks, to the far left side of the room. Along the bar were several, mostly empty, stools lining it. To the right there were several tables and booths facing a beautiful stage which housed a majestic baby grand piano with beautiful velvet red drapes hanging over it, there was also a microphone placed near the instrument which would allow the artist to play both the piano and sing a song.

"Oh thank God we made it on time." Isshin said happily as he sat down at one of the booths closest to the stage. He had a dazed look to his eyes.

"Yes it would have been a tragedy to miss even a moment of her performance." Ishida replied sarcastically while Ukitake smiled warmly at the love struck man.

"I know right!" Isshin exclaimed seriously, not having caught Ishida's heavy sarcasm.

"Ha-ha nothing ever gets you down eh Isshin." Ukitake laughed as he patted his confused friend on the back. Isshin just shrugged it off and relaxed into his seat. A waitress came by a moment later and took their orders. Once that was complete she left and returned a moment later with their drinks then leaving the young men to their own devices.

_"Oh my God how much longer can this dream be? I have things to do already!"_

"…So Kurosaki are you going to talk to her this time?" Asked Ishida as he took a drink from the bottle the young waitress brought over a moment ago.

_"Oh my God when will the torment end!"_

"What are you crazy man! I can't just walk up to an angel like Megami! Oh, oh there she is! Be quiet… both of you…" Isshin leaned forward his elbow propped on the table and his head tilted into his upturned hand. He gave a dreamy smile as he watched the most beautiful woman make her way to the Baby Grand. She was tall and slender with long dark hair and bronzed skin. She had gorgeous golden eyes and very kissable lips. She was wearing a stunning black silk evening gown that reached to the floor, a slit running up her right leg and ending at mid thigh. Isshin sighed as she elegantly sat down on the piano bench.

She started to play a soothing slow piece instantly putting everyone there into a trance. She parted her perfect lips and heaven's choir spilled down to earth. For an hour she played musical masterpieces for her audience leaving them with light hearts and fond memories. As she was finishing up her last song Ukitake started to nudge Isshin in the ribs.

"Now's your chance to talk to her." He whispered to the dark haired man.

"What! No way… I already told you I can't talk to her!" He whispered right back causing Ishida to roll his eyes.

"Oh come on already! Man up and get going, I'm getting sick of abandoning our post to see this woman, especially since it's at your behest. Now get up and go talk to her, hurry she's leaving." Ishida then shoved the other man off his seat forcing him to stumble into Megami as she was getting off the stage.

"Oh dear… are you alright sir?" She asked her voice soothing to his ears. He turned red as he realized his hands were griping her shoulders, which were soft under his touch; he quickly removed himself from her.

"I-I… sorry! I- um… hello… m-my-" He couldn't get the right words to come out. Megami offered him a soft smile.

_"He can't be serious… dear God he's so sad…"_

She held out a delicate hand, he hastily took it into his own larger callous one. "Hello my name is Megami… and you; you're the kind soldier who comes to see every one of my performances… if I remember correctly your name is Kurosaki Isshin."

_"AHHH she knows my name! She knows my NAME… HELL YEAH BABY!"_

_"Oh Please someone shut this moron up! Or at least wake me up, I can't take any more of this!"_

Isshin noticed he still had a hold of his angel's hand. He let go, making sure to be as genital as possible. Megami frowned as she felt the warmth leave her hand. Isshin then noticed a free booth not far from them and gestured to it.

"W-would y-you l-like-" He stopped took a deep breath and tried again, "Would you like to sit down?" He said in a deep voice, puffing out his chest. Megami once again offered Isshin a soothing smile.

"I would love to." They both headed to the empty booth and sat down across from each other.

_"Oh shit! What do I say now! Oh my God it's really her sitting only two feet away from me! What do I do! Ryuken, Jushiro HELP ME!"_

_" … WAKE UP ALREADY!"_

Megami took Isshin's hand into her own, "You don't have to be nervous you know… I've actually been looking forward to having a conversation with you for a long time." She lightly blushed, "You're the only person who's ever come to see all of my performances and tonight I finally get to say thank you." Isshin looked stunned, here he was with the most beautiful woman on the planet, and she was thanking him for doing something so small and insignificant.

"…There is no need to thank me. I came because I wanted to see an angel sing… I never expected her to notice an unworthy mortal such as myself." He said as a deep blush formed on his face.

_"This is a dream…God if it is I never want to awake from it."_ Isshin thought as he looked into Megami's mesmerizing eyes.

_"…This is no dream… it's a freaking nightmare! I want out!"_

_"I wonder if she would let me kiss her… GAH what are you thinking Kurosaki! A Goddess like her would never let you go that far."_ As Isshin thought that he felt himself lean over the table, Megami doing the same thing.

_"What am I doing! Kurosaki stop that this instant!"_ Their lips met and Isshin was pleasantly surprised to feel that Megami's lips were as soft as he'd always imagined them.

_"Tch… just get a room already…"_

* * *

Soifon opened her eyes slowly and looked up into the worried eyes of Toshiro. She rolled off the couch when she realized how close the young man was to her.

"GAH! Hitsugaya what the hell!" She growled as she picked herself off the ground rubbing her eyes trying to get rid of the remaining fuzziness from them. Hitsugaya didn't answer her; he just hopped off the couch and lunged at her placing her in a tight hug.

"Damn it Soi-chan you had me worried! You Renji and Rukia have been out cold for three hours, and no matter what I did to try and wake you wouldn't work! What happened?" Soi patted the silver haired youths head while she looked towards her other companions noticing that they too were stirring from their forced sleep.

"Ow my head… what happened?" Renji stood up from his spot on the floor, "Did someone release sleeping gas on us?" He looked over to the beds where Rukia was now sitting up.

"I had such a strange dream, though it was quite pleasant at the end." Rukia said drowsily as she stood from the bed and went to stand with Renji.

_"I had a dream too… it wasn't pleasant though… I dreamt that I was a moron."_ Soi thought to herself sourly while keeping her hand in Hitsugaya's hair, not noticing his blush of content.

"I'm so glad that Kurosaki-san was able to have such a happy ending." She continued to say. Renji looked shocked at the name.

"Wait… Kurosaki… as in Isshin Kurosaki!" He yelled while gripping her shoulders.

"Umm yes that was him… why?" She asked as she tried to squirm out of Renji's grasp.

"Well I had a dream with that guy in it as well… he was with two other men-"

"Ishida Ryuken and Ukitake Jushiro…" Soi interrupted confused. How could they all have the same dream? She looked down when she felt Hitsugaya shift away from her.

"…Who cares about that now… all that matters is that the three of you are alright." Soi nodded and patted his head again.

"He's right; we have more pressing matters to attend to… namely our first mission, Hitsugaya how long until we reach District seventy-eight?"

"We'll be there in fifteen minutes Captain." Soi nodded and turned to the other two.

"Ok everyone gather your stuff and prepare for departure." The two males and woman saluted and went about their business.

_"Hmm how strange… I wonder what that dream was about… whatever I have enough idiots in my life, I don't need them in my dreams…" _Soi turned and left the room, she needed something to drink.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later found the group disembarking the train and onto an open platform. What lay before the four SeeD members was a desolate little town with rundown homes and abandoned shops in all directions. Off in the distance was a large inland train depot that looked to be in better condition than most of the town, Soi figured that must belong to Las Noches. There was also an even larger building next to it with a pulsating monitor on it that could be seen all throughout the small city, another thing to belong to L.N.

There weren't that many people wondering around, but the ones that were, they were all shabby looking. Their cloths looked old and worn, while the people themselves looked tired and dirty. It was a look of utter defeat. Some of the younger folk watched them with empty eyes, as they made their way to the bottom of the platform.

"Wow this place is in real bad shape huh?" Renji said quietly as the passed an old beggar. Rukia, who felt pity for the man, took out a few bills and handed them over to the poor man.

"That's why there are so many resistance forces here; they all want to get away from Las Noches' tyranny…" Hitsugaya replied sadly as he watched a young child play with a broken toy. They all stopped at the base of the platform where a particularly unattractive, Soi would say ugly, man in a vest scarf, bandana, and pair of goggles walked up to them. He looked a little nervous as he spoke.

"There sure are a lot of cats in District seventy-eight." Soi stepped forward and replied

"Yes and the black cat is the most prominent." The man's eyes widened and he took off as fast as his legs would allow. Soi and her group watched him confused.

"Hey Soi that w-" Soi placed a finger over Hitsugaya's lips glaring at the retreating form running away from them.

"Yes it was…"

"Then why…" Renji started to ask only to stop when he noticed Soi's red face.

"Damn it all…another idiot to deal with!"

* * *

eh another chapter that needed line breaks... I hate this site for messing with mine.

-K


	9. The Black Cats

Chapter nine: The Black Cats

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N So yeah this chapter was a pain… and I have no comments on Yoruichi's behavior… except sorry for making everyone OOC, but whatever I tried.

* * *

"_There sure are a lot of cats in District seventy-eight." Soi stepped forward and replied_

"_Yes and the black cat is the most prominent." The man's eyes widened and he took off as fast as his legs would allow. Soi and her group watched him confused._

"_Hey Soi that w-" Soi placed a finger over Hitsugaya's lips glaring at the retreating form running away from them._

"_Yes it was…"_

"_Then why…" Renji started to ask only to stop when he noticed Soi's red face._

"_Damn it all another idiot!"_

* * *

"Soifon he's getting away!" Hitsugaya shouted as he watched the running man get farther and farther away.

"Oh no he's not!" In an instant she flash-stepped from their sight and was a few feet in front of the stupid man, she stuck her foot out and watched, satisfied, as the oaf tripped over it smacking the hard cobble stoned path face first.

"OUCH!" The man clutched at his face as her rolled from side to side in pain. "What the Hell was that for you stupid bitch!" He yelled up at Soi from the gap between his fingers, Soi just stood there glaring, a twitch at her right brow the only indication that his words had any real affect on her.

_Oh no he didn't… Soi don't let this ugly asshole talk to you like that! Put him in his place… preferably six feet under and with my __hōmonka tattooed to his face!"_ Suzumebachi growled in contempt.

Soi bent down and lifted the man up be the scruff of his vest, one handed, and brought him face to face with her. Once he saw the barely contained need for bloodshed in her eyes, he quickly quieted down.

"Listen and listen well you fool because I have no patience for stupidity, especially for the likes of you. Now answer my question, and it better be good, or I'll kill you where you are… understood!" The man, Soi noticed he had nasty eyebrows as well, nodded rapidly.

"Good, now why did you run after I gave you the password… the correct one might I add!" She yanked him up a bit higher. She also noticed that her friends had also made their way over to them and were watching the exchange with amusement.

"…Well y-you see… I uh I forgot the… I forgot the answer alright! There are you happy, now let go!" He yelled embarrassed with his answer, Soi looked at the man in wonder. Could he really have been as dumb as he looked?

"…You…you forgot the answer…" Hitsugaya asked just as mystified as Soi. She quickly let go of the man and watched as he fell away from her landing on his ass.

"Anyway you proved to be the ones we sent for…" He stood up and dusted himself off, "…My name is Ganju … Shiba Ganju… now if you'd follow me I could take you to our secret base."

The group blinked in unison as the man walked away from them grumbling about how everyone was out to get his face.

* * *

They had walked for an hour, away from the decrepit city and towards one of the many vast forests that surrounded it. Soi was about to ask Ganju if they were lost, but didn't have to when he came to a sudden stop before a ridiculous looking little house, more like a shack, with two gargantuan arms sticking out of the ground on either side both holding a long pole with a sign over it proclaiming it to be 'The Black Cats' secret base.

"…You have got to be kidding me…" Soi whispered slack jawed. This couldn't be the place; it was ridiculous to think anyone who wanted to be taken seriously would have their base of operations out in the open like that, especially with that huge freaking arrow hanging over it!

"Welcome to 'The Black Cats' now if you'd follow me I'll take you to our briefing room." Ganju said as he stuck a finger into his ear, trying to get some gunk out, he removed his finger and wiped it on his pants leg and slid open the door.

_"EWW this guy is so gross… and let's not forget ugly… definitely don't forget the ugly" _Suzumebachi shuddered in disgust, while Soi and her group followed after Ganju.

Once passed the door they had to head down several flights of steps that led to an underground bunker that was brightly lit with long ceiling lights. They stopped before another sliding door, this one intricately designed with cherry blossom leaves falling from a tree. Ganju opened that door as well and ushered them in. Inside the room there wasn't much to look at. At the right side of the large room there was a table with several train toys, with a landscape prop, on the wall over it there were hundreds of news paper clippings all about Las Noches and its President… Coyote Starrk. The other three walls had a mismatch of several different unimportant things. Through the far wall had a sliding door that led to God knows where.

In the middle of the room was there was an abused looking table, low to the ground, with a cushion on the opposite side of them. On the table were several stacks of papers that looked like they needed to be filled out. There was also a pipe on one of the stacks, some of the ash spilling over onto the papers below.

"…Umm I'll go get-" The sliding door opened and out stepped a fairly tall woman, well taller than Soi anyway (who wasn't), she had a youthful appearance with white skin and aqua green eyes. She was also sporting spiky raven black hair partially wrapped in a white bandana. She was wearing a red top, which barely concealed her well-endowed chest, and white skirt as well as wooden clogs. On her left arm was a strange tattoo, her left arm was missing above the elbow, and stropped to her back was a sword.

"So they're finally here… about freaking time… anyway my name is Shiba Kukaku" She walked over to the table and sat down, leaning into the plush cushion, from her top she pulled out a fan, and she looked the group up and down. "…So you're all they gave us huh…tch damn you Garden bastards sure are pricy though, I'm surprised the boss could even afford you. Speaking of Boss… you in the fancy white jacket!" She pointed the fan at Soi. "Go get her from her room at the back… just head through the door behind me until you get to the last room." Soifon stiffened as she was ordered around like some maid.

"...I was not aware we were hired to be your nursemaids?" Soi snapped at the dark haired woman, who just stared as if bored with the whole exchange.

"… Be a good little SeeD, and wake up your _employer_… please and thank you." Kukaku said through gritted teeth as she stared down the stubborn SeeD.

_"We are not nannies… we're freaking SeeD…soldiers, special forces, damn it!"_

"Don't expect me to do this sort of thing again…" Soi gave one last defiant glare before heading to the back rooms in search of the missing _Boss_. Once she was gone Ganju turned to his big sister, ignoring the hostile glares the other three were shooting them.

"… Umm…are you sure that was a good idea…" he paused frightened of the look his sister was giving him. "I-I mean you know how she is when people interrupt her nap." He shuddered as he remembered what happened to him the one time her woke her up… It took him a month to walk straight again, and he could never use a comb the same way.

"… Better her then us…" was Kukaku's only reply.

* * *

_"Tch can you believe these people! They are like so rude! I can't believe you're actually doing what that big boobed bimbo told you to do Soi-chan!"_ Suzumebachi was fuming within her mind's eye, her legs were crossed Indian style and her arms folded over her chest. She also had her cheeks puffed in irritation.

_"Don't worry about it, once in awhile we get employers we can't stand but we must always comply with their wishes… by the way _boobed_ is not a word…"_ Soi said deadpan as she walked through yet another sliding door.

_"Was that supposed to be funny? Because let me tell you, it could use a lot of work… dear lord how many rooms does this place have?" _Suzumebachi growled as she watched them pass through another door. _"I'm surprised the _boss_ could even afford you…"_ She mocked the Shiba woman, she actually sounded like her, and Soi was impressed. _"… No wonder they have no funds they spent it all on a secret base… which isn't so freaking secret!"_

_"Alright Suzumebachi that's enough… take a few deep breaths and calm down, you're starting to give me a headache."_ Soi instructed her Zanpakuto as she rubbed at her forehead.

_"…Sorry Soi-chan…I'll be good."_ She then disappeared into the back of her conscience, leaving Soi with her own thoughts.

_"She's right though… what the hell do they need all these rooms for?"_ Soi pushed open another door, this one's design much different than all the others on it was a large moon, a cherry-blossom tree, and a black cat sleeping under both. She instantly knew she had made it to where she was supposed to be. She opened the door and walked through.

The room was done in soft fall colors of rich browns and deep reds, though there were purple trimmings, there was a vanity table against the wall to her right with many knickknacks on it such as a beautiful hand mirror with a handmade design on it. At the wall to her left was another table, this one a desk with a few books as well as empty plates and sake bottles on it. Next to it was a bookcase filled with different books some had titles that signified times in history, and many looked like they were romance novels. Soi rolled her eyes at that. At the far wall was a large bed, it could probably hold five fully grown people, with a red comforter and plush pillows. At the edge of the bed lay a gorgeous black cat, its coat gleaming a black almost dark blue color in the light. It looked so familiar to Soi.

_A young girl, the age of eight, was looking up a tree._

_"Hey… what's going on?" asked a voice from the shadows._

_"Oh…there's a kitten up in the tree… I think it's stuck." Soi said to the voice, she tried to remember the name, but all she could hear was static, she looked over to the person only so see them shrouded in darkness._

_"Then we should help it out! Right Soi-chan, now how are we going to do this… oh I know, you're an awesome climber …so I'll lift you up and you get the kitty." The shadowed person came forward, and even in the light Soi couldn't make out their form._

_"Alright then on three I'll lift you up and you start climbing… three!" Soi was lifted by her knees as the shadow had bent down and lifted her up quickly bringing her to the nearest thickest branch. She grabbed on and pulled herself up. She looked up and noticed the kitten was just a few feet above, so she carefully climbed up to it._

_"Hi there kitty… don't worry I'll get you down from here… just a bit closer and- HEY!" The little devil had scratched her when her hand got close enough. She leaned back to far and tilted._

_"Uh-oh" She whispered wide eyed as she went down, but before fully losing sight of the devil cat she could have sworn it gave her the evil eye and smug grin._

_"SOIFON!"_

Soi snapped back to reality as she realized that another door, which she didn't see next to the vanity table slide open. Through is walked in a very beautiful woman,

"_The same woman from the festival."_ Soi noted, and she was very naked, and very curvy... Soi quickly turned red and turned the other way trying to save her own dignity as she checked to make sure her nose hadn't started to bleed.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" The woman asked as she noticed the other presence in her room. Once she noticed who it was exactly, well she couldn't help what happened next.

"Well look who it is… hello there my Little Seedling, how are you today?" She walked over to the young woman and draped her bare arms over her shoulders. Soi stiffened as she felt the woman's warmth roll onto her.

"Come on Little Seed why don't you turn around for me, I'd like to get a better look at my wonderful dance partner." She whispered into Soi's ear causing Soi to turn three shades of red, and a nearly unnoticeable shudder to run down her spine.

"P-P…P-" Soi couldn't get the words to come out.

"What's the matter little Seedling… cat got your tongue?" The seductive woman ran her finger down Soi's cheek. Soi feeling helpless, could do nothing as she felt the dark skinned woman slide to her front, the woman's curvy body continuing to make contact with her own.

"There that's better." Golden eyes looked down into dazed silver ones, as her body pressed in closer to the other woman's clothed form.

"So they sent you to help me did they… well that's good… I liked our first meeting, but this one…" She brought her face closer to Soi's.

The poor SeeD was so shocked at what was happening. Her face, and she was sure it was her whole body too, was a bright red. So she couldn't help what happened next. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fainted.

"Little Seedling…hey Little Seedling… well that's never happened before…" She picked the unconscious girl up and placed her on top of her bed.

"I guess I should get dressed then… Oi Noir watch over her for me will ya?" She then left the room to put on some cloths.

* * *

Soi awoke to a heavy weight on her chest; she opened her eyes to see bright golden ones, surrounded by thick black fur, staring down at her.

"… GAH!" Soi jumped away from the eyes, causing what was on top of her to topple over the edge of the bed in fright. The 'thing,' which was the black cat she saw earlier, hopped back up onto the bed and Soi could swear it was glaring at her.

"Um sorry for that Mr. Cat, you just startled me." She reached out to pet the feline behind the ear, but once her hand came close to him, he lashed out with his paw nicking her hand with his claws.

"HEY!" She yelled as she pulled back, a little too far and started to fall off the bed. Once again she could swear the little monster was grinning at her smugly. She fell to the floor and remained there.

"…talk about Déjà Vu…" She sat up and cautiously looked over the edge of the bed at the devil cat… or his cousin, because that couldn't be the same one from her dream. He lay stretched out watching her with half lidded eyes.

"Stupid cat…" She turned away, only to come face to tight, really tight, black pants.

"Well if I had known you swung that way, I wouldn't have bothered with the pants Little Seedling." The dark skinned beauty said coyly, as she leaned down to be level with the SeeD. Her top, a black deep V-cut and sleeveless shirt with orange jacket, came close to Soi's red face.

Soi blushed and tried to draw in breath.

"Whoa there girl breath, come on in and out… that's it." The woman rubbed Soi's back in a soothing manner, and Soi got herself under control.

"You are just too cute! All embarrassed like that… So what's your name my Little Seedling?" The dark skinned woman decided to stop the teasing, for the moment, and find out a bit about her shy little SeeD.

"…Uh I-"Soi coughed to try and dislodge the frog there, "My n-name is Soifon, I-I and three others were sent to help you with your mission… I guess I'm also the Captain. What about you? What's your name?" Soi was happy to hear her voice stop stuttering after a moment.

"…Hmm you mean I never gave it to you at the festival… are you sure?" Soi nodded when she saw the woman look at her waiting for an answer, "Well I'll be ha-ha… My name is Yoruichi; my last name is… of no importance. I still can't believe I never gave you my name, your wonderful dancing skills must have driven me to distraction." Yoruichi said seductively as she put her palm to Soi's warm cheek, bringing them closer together.

Soi noticed their distance closing and quickly jumped to her feet.

"Um well yes we should get going… I was sent to get you; your friends want to get started with the debriefing." Soi gave a brisk bow and left the room.

"Soifon eh… that name is so sad for someone so strong… I'll just have to call you something else then… hmm what about… heheh-I got it!" Yoruichi mumbled as she stood up to follow her SeeDling.

"Hey Little Bee wait up!"

"Little Bee!" Perky

"_Little Bee_…" Sultry

"Little Bee." Neutral

"Lit-" Interrupted

"Ok that's enough! What _are_ you doing?" Soi finally snapped she had been listening to Yoruichi say the same thing since leaving the dark haired woman's room, and it was starting to get to her.

"I'm just trying to get the tone of your new nickname down… personally I like _Little Bee_." Yoruichi seductively whispered as she wrapped her arms around Soi's neck.

"What do you think?" She pulled Soi's back into her front to give her a light hug.

"…w-what… um I- Oh hey look we're here!" Soi wiggled her way out of Yoruichi's grasp and made a quick dash to the door that would lead her back to everyone else.

_"Oh ho-ho she's a slippery one… but that's what makes her so interesting." _Yoruichi thought as she passed through the sliding doors.

* * *

"Well it's about freaking time! I was starting to get worried there for a second. So Yoruichi are you ready to get started, or does your pretty little ass need time to prepare?" Kukaku lazily drawled over her shoulder as the two women made their way over.

Soifon, who was still red, went over to her friends and stood next to Hitsugaya who gave her a concerned look.

"Hey Soi-chan… are you ok? You look a little flushed." He whispered when he was sure no one was paying them any attention. Soi looked down at him and offered a reassuring smile.

"Yes I'm fine…" She then turned back to the resistant leaders. She noticed that they were bickering over some insignificant thing.

"Oi, you big boobed Neanderthal that's my seat so up and off!" Yoruichi glared down at her best friend.

_"Boobed isn't a word"_ Suzumebachi spoke up suddenly, causing Soi to smirk.

_"Quiet Suzumebachi, now's not the time to be a smart alec."_ Her Zanpakuto pouted and disappeared.

"Whatever you animal." Kukaku stood up and moved to the side of the desk. "Anyway we have things to discuss." She motioned for her brother to bring in another cushion, and he quickly complied.

They both took their respected places and after some quick introductions they began with the mission specs.

"So here's the plan, just recently we stumbled onto a top-secret transmission that said that the President of Las Noches, Coyote Starrk, will be arriving at District seventy-eight today for some big event. We want to stop him before he gets here."

"So what, you want to kidnap one of the most powerful men in the world! Are you people freaking crazy!" Renji moved forward before Soi's arm stopped him.

"That's enough Abarai… you said this was okayed by our Garden? Were they made aware of what our assistance would be about?" Soi asked trying to keep from staring too long at Yoruichi. The beautiful woman made her very nervous, though not in a bad way, it was just hard to speak with her without turning red and stuttering like a fool.

"Yes your Headmaster knows everything; we even have a contract with him… Oi Ganju get the contract!" Kukaku took a puff of her pipe as her brother scrambled to get the required item.

"He-here y-y-you go sister!" He handed the contract over to his sister stiffly and then quickly shuffled away from her. Kukaku handed the paper over to Soi, who then proceeded to read it.

"Hey Soi what does it say?" Hitsugaya tried to read over her shoulder, but he was too short not… like he would ever admit it. Soi saw her friend's struggle and decided to read it out loud for his benefit.

"It says…

_To the Black Cats,_

_This SeeD deployment contract will last until District Seventy-eight achieves its independence of Las Noches rule through any means necessary._

_Please make good use of each of our members, and please remember this contract is a favor to you and that no replacements can be issued should the current team fail._

_I wish you the best of luck with your objective._

_The Seireitei Garden Headmaster _

_Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai_…"

_"What the hell! This thing is so vague… until District seventy-eight's independence!"_ Suzumebachi screeched indigent at what was written, and she wasn't the only one.

"What the hell! That thing is so vague… until District seventy-eight's independence! That could take years to accomplish!" Renji bellowed indigent.

_"Oh look Suzumebachi has an echo…"_

_"Ha…ha very funny Soi-chan… and I am not as bad as that monkey!"_ Soi shrugged and tuned back into the argument taking place between Renji and Kukaku.

"Well too bad for you, we got us a contract that says you're stuck with us until we achieve independence, so deal with it pineapple head!" Kukaku drawled as she took a puff on the pipe and leaned into a more comfortable position on her cushion.

"That's enough Abarai," Soifon stepped forward when she noticed Renji was going to start another argument, "We have a job to do, and the Headmaster trusted us enough to complete it… now what are your orders."

"…We want to nab the train Starrk is on…" Yoruichi spoke up as everyone finally settled down.

"A-and how are we supposed to do that," Soi cringed as she stuttered, "The President is very well protected, and taking his train will not be possible, especially with only the four of us."

"Ahem…let me explain, what I actually meant was that we want to nab his car. Now let's get over to the models, and we'll begin the debriefing." Yoruichi stood up and headed to the side of the room where the toy trains were located. They surrounded the model, Yoruichi in the middle with Soi and her group to the right and Kukaku and Ganju to her left.

"Ok from what we were able to gather the President will be riding in a six car train, meaning one will be the locomotive car, another will belong to him and, the other four will belong to his escorts. We will use our own train to follow and intercept the President's train. Once we do that what we want to do is uncouple his car from his escorts. Now we know that his car will be located between the four escort cars, two of which have high tech sensors but we'll get to that in a minute. We have our own train car that's a complete replica of Starrk's personal car, so once we uncouple his car from the rest of the train our train will swoop in and make the switch and then we'll be out of there no one the wiser until it's too late. Once we have him on board we will begin the negotiations for his release… anyway let me explain what we will be doing." Yoruichi pressed a button on the model and everything came to life, the trains started to move around the track with little 'choo-choo' sounds.

"Ok first our train will catch up with the President, once we are close enough your group, the ones who will be taking the President's car, will jump from our train and onto the last car of the President's escort car. From there you will make your way to the middle car and uncouple it from the rear two escorts within three minutes…" The model showed the toy trains disconnect from the first train, and the second train comes in from a cross section of tracks. "We must uncouple the rear two escort cars before the first check point or we will be in very big trouble and we will lose our one chance to capture the President, and let's not forget to mention that we will be arrested and put to death for treason." Yoruichi smiled at Rukia's expression when the young woman turned white at the prospect of being thrown into jail.

"Once we uncouple the rear two cars and reach the first check point, our train will swoop in and temporarily connect with the rear two cars. They will then follow as we make our way to the escort car connected to the President's car. We will then proceed to do the same thing and uncouple it from the President's car our train will connect. A second check point will be two minutes off from the previous one once we reach it our stolen treasure will make a detour, we will disconnect from the escorts and be on our way." The model train's President's car unhooked from the front three cars and attached to the Black Cat's train. The train then sped off to the left, as it hit the second check point, the last two cars rolling forward and reconnecting to the first toy train.

"And you will be able to disable the rear car sensors with this little beauty." Yoruichi pulled a small flat circular metal disk from under the table. "This is a disrupter, or a really low level E.M.P, which will temporarily take out the electronics in the car. Don't worry about them getting suspicious because the thick forest always knocks out electronics." She gave the disk to Soi who took it from her and put it in her pocket.

"See it's as easy as that… now are there any questions?" She looked over the group and noticed Rukia's hand raised in the air.

"Yes you… um your name was Rukia right?" Rukia nodded and stepped forward.

"I just wanted to know one thing, these models look really good and like the actual train, but why does the President's car look so shabby?" Kukaku sputtered and choked on her pipe as she tried not to laugh.

"... *choke* *wheeze*… Ooh, ooh let me answer that one!" Kukaku said excitedly, "You see we had bought all the train cars except the President's car. Yoruichi here insisted on making his… and this is the result of her _hard work_!" Kukaku cracked up as she finished.

"… and here I though a little kid made the thing… the paint job sucks by the way." Renji said as he stepped next to Rukia and took a closer look as the car. Kukaku at that point fell to the floor in hysterics, completely ignoring Yoruichi's death glare.

_"… yeah… it really is bad…"_ Soi thought while Suzumebachi nodded in agreement.

"… It truly is one of the most horrendous things I've ever seen." Hitsugaya decided to add his two cents.

"You must _really_ hate the man." Rukia then said as she looked up at Yoruichi's red face.

_"Uh Soi I think we should run, it looks like she's going to blow… haha I didn't know people could turn that shade of red!"_

"ARE YOU ALL FINNISHED YET… let's get on with the mission! Do you understand what you're supposed to do!" Yoruichi huffed as she crossed her arms. She had thought she did a pretty darn good job with the thing.

"Yes… and all of you quiet down get serious, we have a mission to complete… and it doesn't look bad..." Soi decided to take pity on Yoruichi and move on.

"But So-" Soifon shot a menacing glare in Renji's direction, effectively shutting him up.

"Ahem right so we should all make our way topside, we have our train waiting for us back in town. Hitsugaya Renji, and Rukia all turned and followed Kukaku, who was still chuckling at Yoruichi's expense, out the door and up the stairs.

Soi turned to follow but stopped and turned when Yoruichi spoke up.

"… Do you really think it looks good?" Soi saw the shabby looking model held in the dark skinned woman's hands. Yoruichi had a sad look in her eyes and Soi couldn't help but feel the need to make her happy in any way. It hurt to see such a depressing look on someone so cheery.

"Of course and with a little more practice you could make perfect replicas in no time." Yoruichi instantly brightened at Soi's words.

"Thanks Little Bee, at least you know true talent when you see it." She walked over to the Captain and wrapped her arms around Soi's neck in a hug. Yoruichi let go pecked Soi on the cheek and skipped out the door.

_"Soi… Soi hey Soi! Oh come on! Are you going to freeze up every time she touches you! Ugh my master is such a virgin!"_

* * *

The train ride was bumpy as they sped towards their destination at high speeds. The car they were in was dimly lit and they all sat quiet as they waited to reach the President's train. Rukia and Renji sat huddled together whispering quietly between themselves. Yoruichi sat next to Kukaku, who was still laughing about earlier. Yoruichi just glared down at her friend. Soi sat next to Hitsugaya, farthest away from the confusing violet haired woman, rubbing her cheek which was still tingling from the quick kiss. She was confused, so far the woman had taken her first kiss nearly molested her, turned her into a stuttering fool, and now she had her tingling. What the hell was going on? Soi sighed and turned to look in Yoruichi's general direction. She blushed as she when she saw that the other woman was staring right at her a mischievous gleam in her eye. She turned away when Ganju's voice came over the speakers.

_"Ok ya'll we are T-minus five minutes away from the presidents train. The SeeDs are to make their way up to the roof so we can get started."_ The SeeDs stood and started to make their way up the stairs Hitsugaya at the front and Soi at the back. She noticed Yoruichi had also stood up and was following the group out the door.

"Umm… w-what, what are you doing Yoruichi-sama?" The dark woman flinched at the title as she made her way next to the shorter girl.

"Now, now Little Bee let's not start with unneeded titles… please." Soi hesitated but nodded when she saw the hopeful look in Yoruichi's eyes.

"Anyway I'm going with you guys, you'll need me since I have all the codes, and you do all the dirty work. Don't worry I can take care of myself." She offered a smile and walked out the door. Soi sighed and followed her out. She got the feeling that she would never be able to win against that woman.


	10. Choo Choo!

Chapter Ten: Choo!Choo!

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N- Merry Christmas… or at least merry _belated_ Christmas, and a very happy New Year. This chapter was another pain to write, but it got done so yay! Also there is a special homage to one of my all time favorite t.v. shows, can any of you find what it is… by the way

Happy Birthday Yoruichi-san… and Urahara

* * *

Soi stepped out onto the bridge last as she followed behind Yoruichi. They took their places near the door that would lead them out to the train's roof.

"Ok does everyone remember what they will be doing?" Yoruichi asked as they all settled down.

"Yes ma'am!" Chorused the SeeDs as they stood to attention and got serious about the mission.

"Whoa… and here I thought these guys were a bunch of no good lazy bums." Whistled Kukaku as she saw the change within the group, she looked to Yoruichi and saw that she too was impressed.

"Good then lets head up to the roof. We will be catching up with the President's train soon." Yoruichi turned to the door and opened. A rush of wind blasted into the cabin whipping everyone's hair in different directions.

"Ok guys move out!" Soi shouted over the whistling of the wind. The others saluted and headed out the door and up the ladder located at its side. Soi offered a curt nodded to Kukaku and headed out the door and up the roof.

"Good luck guys… damn we're going to need it…" Kukaku whispered as she scratched at the back of her head.

* * *

"Soi, over here!" Yoruichi shouted over the roar of the wind. Her wild mane of purple hair whipping about her face as Soi made her way over cautiously.

"Ok we're almost in range of the President's train do you remember the plan!" Yoruichi shouted trying to be heard over the wind. Soifon nodded her head to show she did remember and was ready to go. Hitsugaya also nodded while Renji and Rukia both shouted that they too remembered what to do.

"Good because we just ran out of time!" and indeed they did the President's train was parallel to them, well the last car was.

"Alright it's time! Toshiro you lead Renji follows! Then it will be Rukia and Yoruichi, I'll be last! Now GO!" Hitsugaya wasted no time in carrying out his orders and jumped across to the other train. He slid a few inches as he landed, but other than that he was unharmed. Renji was next across without any incident. Rukia walked over to the edge of their train and gulped as she saw the rapidly moving landscape moving before her. She also noted the distance between the trains. She took a few steps back and shook her head.

"I-I can't do it! It's too far!" She cried out in fright as she collapsed to her knees.

"Damn it Kuchiki now's not the time to get performance anxiety!" Shouted Soifon in annoyance, "Yoruichi you go ahead I'll get Rukia!" Yoruichi nodded and jumped to the other side gracefully.

"Alright Rukia you need to get up you're wasting time… time we really don't have, now get up and jump to the other side!" Soi yelled as she pulled the other woman up. Rukia was still too scared to jump, she knew that if she tried she'd never make it… at least she thought so. Soi was about to give up and leave Rukia to her own devices, but Renji came up to them and pulled the short woman onto his back. Soi was awestruck. The red head had jumped back for Rukia.

"Come on Rukia we have a mission to complete!" He offered a smile to the girl and then to his captain. He then ran at full speed and jumped onto the other cart, Rukia screaming bloody murder all the way. Soi just shook her head and followed after the redhead. She reached the edge and jumped.

It was an amazing feeling; it almost felt like she was flying, the ground moving rapidly underneath her. She landed on the other train with a roll and stopped in a crouch one knee touching the cool metal, while her other leg was stretched out in front of her.

"Wonderful landing Little Bee!" Yoruichi shouted as she clapped. Soi stood up with a blush, and wiped imaginary dust off of her shoulder.

"Ok here's what we'll do. Renji and Rukia will take the disrupter and disable the carts then we head after them and disconnect the President's car from his escorts. Hitsugaya you'll be my eyes while I'm down there putting in the codes to unbuckle the cars and Yoruichi you'll be the one giving me the codes! Alright let's get this over with!" Soi took out the disrupter from the inside pocket of her jacket and gave it to Renji who took it with a nod. He grabbed Rukia's arm and dragged her after him to do their job.

It took them thirty seconds to disable the sensors located on the second to last car. Rukia signaled Soi's group that it was safe to cross. Soifon leapt to the car that previously housed the sensors without alarms going off. Hitsugaya and Yoruichi right behind her. She also noted that Renji and Rukia were already moving onto the next car's sensors.

"Hitsugaya the cords please!" Soi shouted as she held out her arm for the climbing equipment. Toshiro quickly pulled his backpack from behind him and set it out in front of him. He opened the top and dug around for the pulley and cords. After a short search he pulled out the required items and handed them over to Soifon. She nodded her thanks and set it up within seconds.

"Hurry guys we only have ninety seconds left before the first check point!" Yoruichi shouted worriedly as she looked down at her watch.

"Che… that's plenty of time." Growled Soi as she jumped off the side of the train, cord securely buckled to her belt. She reached the lower half of the train where the release mechanism was located and proceeded to take off the cover protecting it from the harsh elements.

"Ok I'm ready give me the code!" Soi yelled up to the purple haired woman as she concentrated on the buttons before her.

"Right the first code is X5-452-X5-494! Hurry Soi we only have thirty seconds left!" Yoruichi warned the young woman as she tried to find the correct keys.

_"Jeeze it's nag, nag, nag with that woman! We're going as fast as we can Ms. Worry-Wart!"_ Suzumebachi growled annoyed.

_"Now's really not the time Suzumebachi!"_ Soi complained as she punched in the correct code, with only fifteen seconds to spare. The latches came undone and the rear car's separated from the front cars just in time. The rear cars started to slow down just enough as the cross section came up and allowed the Black Cat's train to swoop in and latched onto the rear cars of the President's train.

"Yes!" was the collective exclamation as the first part of their mission came to an end.

* * *

"…What was that?" Questioned the man laying on his back. He was dressed in a white jacket outlined in black, with the collar upturned. A black sash was worn in a manner similar to a matador around his waist. He was also wearing white gloves on his hands which were over his eyes. He was tall and slim his hair was dark and wavy, reaching his shoulders done in an unkempt fashion and parted down the middle. He also had a faded goatee.

"… oh well whatever it was can be taken care of by someone else. I'm going back to sleep." With that Coyote Starrk turned over on the couch he was laying on with his back facing the world.

* * *

"Hurry we need to move there's only two minutes before the next checkpoint!" Yoruichi exclaimed as she helped pull Soi up from the side of the train. Hitsugaya grabbed the climbing tools and the three then proceeded to the next section of the train. Once they were on the President's roof they spotted Renji and Rukia on their stomachs watching the President sleep through a side window.

"Man he's a lazy bum…" Renji said to Rukia who giggled into her hand.

"This will be a piece of cake." She then looked over her shoulder and the other group.

"Since I don't hear any sirens I assume the first part of the plan was a success." Rukia asked as Hitsugaya set up the equipment that would let Soi climb safely to the bottom of the train.

"Yea it was easy." Soifon replied nonchalantly, "Did you disable the other cars sensors?" She then asked the redhead. Renji just lifted a thumb up while continuing to watch the sleeping man.

"Yes Captain!" Rukia decided it was best to answer, instead of offering such an unprofessional response like Renji.

"Good, keep an eye out. We only have a minute left before the checkpoint and we really don't need any problems at this point." Soi then turned and walked over to Hitsugaya and the rope. She reattached it to her belt and then walked over to the side of the train.

"Alright let's get this over with! Be prepared to give me the codes for the release!" She then jumped over the side, and quickly made her way to the control panel. Like before she removed the protective covering and then shouted up to Yoruichi.

"Ok I'm ready!"

"The code is X5-599-X5-493-XXX… wow that's a long one." Yoruichi said as she finished reading off the long code. She looked down to the watch strapped to her left wrist she noticed that their time was almost up. She watched as the forest sped by into a clearing, and there up ahead was the next crossroad. She rushed over to the side of the train and hauled Soifon up as she started to come up.

"There you go Little Bee, and great job you did it with time to spare!" Yoruichi praised as she hugged Soi happily.

The Presidents car slowed down enough for the Black Cats car train come up and connect to it. The Presidents first three cars passed the cross section, after they were across the rail was automatically switched which allowed the Black Cats train to slide away onto the other track. In a split second the cross section was switched back and the Black Cats train split from the last two cars of the President's car, plus the dummy car, slinging them forward to the rest the President's train. All the cars connected and it was on its way, none the wiser that the president was no longer with them.

"… It actually worked!" Renji was mystified at their accomplishment as he watched everything unfold.

"Yes it worked!" Yoruichi pumped her fist in the air as their train made its way away from the other train.

"…ahem right let's get back to the compartment, and then we can confront the President with your terms of surrender." Soi said as she turned to the front car and walked away Hitsugaya at her heel.

* * *

"Finally we have Coyote Starrk in our custody!" Kukaku sneered as she cracked her knuckles as she waited in front of the closed doors that lead to their captive. The train car was in an isolated location on an old abandoned railroad. They had earlier told Ganju to take the black Cats train, so that it would be much more difficult for anyone to find them.

"Heheh… I can't wait to see the look on that moron's face once he realizes what's going on… heheh-HAHAHA!" Her arms cam up in a sinister fashion as she started to cackle madly.

"Um… is she always like that?" Hitsugaya asked nervously as he continued to observe the crazy lady. Yoruichi just looked at her erratic friend's strange display and shrugged.

"Eh more or less, though to be honest this is actually the first time I've seen her this… happy… and it's all without the use of alcohol." Yoruichi then shrugged and turned back to Soi.

"So here's the plan. You and your group will accompany Kukaku and me as we talk with the President about his terms of surrender. If we cannot come up with a reasonable outcome we'll have to… um… we'll have to… actually we haven't gotten that far but I'll think of something should he not agree to what we want." Yoruichi coughed into her fist a red tint to her cheeks as finished speaking.

"…R-right." Soi said with a sweat drop hanging over her head as she listened to Yoruichi's half thought out plan. "A-anyway we should get in there, and get this all over with… jeeze this has been a long freaking week." Soi sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck. She jumped when she felt someone knead her shoulder muscles.

"You're right… your muscles are all knotted up, but don't worry after we finish with the President I'll be more than happy to help you loosen up… _Little Bee_." Yoruichi whispered the last part near the short woman's ear earning her a delightful shiver and small moan of pleasure.

Soi, realizing what was happening, quickly but gently removed Yoruichi's hands from her shoulders with a blush.

"Uh… we-we should get going." Soi then ran off towards Hitsugaya and the rest of her group to tell them about the plan.

* * *

Yoruichi and Kukaku stood side to side, with Soi and her group behind them, watching the sleeping man's back. They had earlier walked through the door with the intension of quickly starting the negotiations, but had to stop in their tracks as they noticed that President was still asleep. They had tried to wake him by shouting, but it was like trying to talk to a wall… a snoring wall.

"Well now what… I don't want to get to close to him just in case… you know… he's faking it." Yoruichi said with her thumb between her teeth in a thinking pose.

"Well why don't we use our Captain over there to garner his attention." Kukaku said pointing her own thumb over her shoulder and at Soifon who stood with her usual scowl and crossed arms.

"… Hmm hey Little Bee would you please wake up our _guest_, we really do need to get this over with." Yoruichi grinned slyly as she saw Soifon twitch at her nickname, especially since the others were now giving the good Captain strange looks.

Soi shoved passed the two Black Cats members and made her way over to the sleeping man. Once she was over him she lifted her foot up and slammed it down on the President's back, earning a satisfying yelp of pain as he finally shot up in his seat fully awake.

"Ow… you don't have to be so ruff you know." Starrk complained as he rubbed at the pain to his back. Once he was satisfied that nothing was broken he looked up at his attacker, and the people standing behind her.

"…I'm assuming you're not a part of my escort…" He said as he let out a lazy yawn causing the others in the room to frown at his nonchalant attitude.

"That's right _Mr. President_," Yoruichi spat out the title with distain, "We are the resistance group known as the Black Cats… and as long as you cooperate with us you won't come to any harm."

"… and what if I decide not to cooperate with you young lady… then what… hmm hahaha" Starrk stood up abruptly causing Soi to jump back a few steps her hand around Suzumebachi's hilt.

"_Crap, be prepared for a fight Suzumebachi… it looks like this is going to get messy… and here I was hoping for things to get easier."_

The man who they thought was the President started to convulse as he continued to laugh in a sinister way.

"_Hahaha oh you should s-see, gah, the… the looks on y-y-your facesss haha you… you thought that t-the President would be so-so easily captured…HOW DARE YOU INSULT HIS INTELEGENCE… young lady… with so many resistance groups in District seventy-eight… it's amazing what a little false information will get you… but enough of this… I-I want to see what you had in s-s-store for me since I won't be cooperating HAHAHA!"_

The sound of ripping flesh reached their ears as the man who they once thought was the President split down the center in a shower of blood and gore revealing a grotesque creature before them. Its lower body was a huge, blob-like mass resembling an incredibly bloated cartoon-style octopus, with dozens of stubby tentacles and mouth-like mask pieces. It was also purple in color. The top of the monster resembled a man's body garbed in white, but in place of a normal head, it had a large, glass cylindrical capsule filled with red liquid and two floating heads. It was so large that the roof of the train was ripped apart as it grew, forcing the group to run for cover.

_"My name is Aaroniero Arruruerie, and I shall be your executioner on this wonderful day hahaha!"_

* * *

The monster reached into the sleeve of his left hand and pulled out a halberd that had a blue horse-tail tassel, with a trident head and corkscrew bottom. It spun the halberd over his head and pointed it down towards the group water erupting from the tip and speeding towards Rukia. The massive attack hit.

"RUKIA!" Renji shouted in concern as he lost sight of her, "Rukia! Are you ok… shit RUKIA!" He rushed over to the spot he last saw her at, but she was not there. There was a sound behind him and he turned to see the young woman trying to perform the second dance with her Zanpakuto, but Aaroniero spun its halberd at the young woman knocking her off balance effectively stopping her attack. Renji saw one of the hideous mouths open, ready to release a deadly attack on the unsuspecting girl. Without thinking he jumped to her aide just as the blast flew from its mouth. The best the poor red head could do was knock her out of the way as the blast hit, hitting him instead of her and taking him out of the fight as he was knocked out cold.

"Renji!" Rukia quickly jumped up to her feet and rushed after her friend praying he wasn't hurt too badly. She knelt by his side and noticed the blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth and a hole in his back. She wasn't given any time to check for a pulse because one of Aaroniero's tentacles shot out towards her. Rukia closed her eyes and covered Renji's body with her own.

When no pain came she slowly cracked open one eye and gasped as she saw Hitsugaya standing over her with his Zanpakuto drawn and blocking the tentacle.

"_Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens _Hyōrinmaru!" Toshiro's blade extended slightly in length, and gained a crescent-shaped blade attached to its hilt by a long metal chain. The transformation sent out a small shock wave that caused Aaroniero to withdraw the tentacle. This gave the young white haired SeeD enough time to swing his blade slashing at the gigantic beast to create an immense amount of spiritual power which overflowed from the tip of the blade creating a flow of ice shaped like a Chinese dragon right at Aaroniero freezing it in place.

"Kuchiki are you and Abarai ok?" He asked as he turned towards his comrades to assess the damage.

"Y-yes Hitsugaya… sir… though Renji is hurt pretty badly." Rukia noticed that Soifon was missing.

"Um, sir where is Captain Soifon?" She then asked her second in command.

"Soi-ch… ahem Soifon had to get our employers out of harm's way… though with the way that black haired chick was screaming obscenities about not wanting to miss out on the fight… it may have just been time wasted, time we could have used to keep Renji from harm-" Hitsugaya was stopped as pain shot through his torso and blood raining down on Rukia. Her eyes widened as she saw the crystalline tips of the halberd protruding from Hitsugaya's back through his front.

"… oh…OH GOD!" Rukia screamed as the monster swung its weapon to the side flinging the wounded boy to the other side of the forest and straight into a tree.

_Hahaha you all thought you could DEFEAT me! Hahaha I think it's about time I killed all of you!"_ Aaroniero raised the halberd up high over Rukia and the prone body of Renji.

_"DIE!"_ Aaroniero gleefully screamed as he brought his weapon down. This time Rukia couldn't take her eyes off of the deadly blade coming down on her.

* * *

"What the HELL do you think you're doing! There is a fight going on and you dragged me away from it… I should kick your ass just for assuming I couldn't take on something as ugly as stupid looking as that thing!" Kukaku shouted over Soi's shoulder, since she was currently slung over it like a sack of potatoes. Which was pretty funny to Yoruichi since Soi was about a foot taller than the young Captain. She couldn't help the smile making its way to her lips as she watched poor Soi try to get the other woman over her shoulder to stay there while they made their way through the thick underbrush of the forest. Kukaku brought up her knee aiming for Soi's face. Soifon saw the attack coming and dropped the loud mouth to the ground. She rotated her shoulder as she tried to get the stiffness out.

"You BITCH I'll get you for that!" The black haired woman yelled as she spat out the dirt that got caught in her mouth after her fall.

"Ah quit your whining already… I couldn't let you stay there. As a member of SeeD it is my duty to make sure my employers stay safe at all cost… so sorry no fighting for you." Soi said snidely as she turned to face the loud woman.

"Cha… whatever I could have kicked that thing to kingdom come and back." Kukaku huffed as she crossed her arms over her big bust. Soi looked to Yoruichi, silently asking if the eccentric woman was all there in the head. Yoruichi simply held up her hands and shook her head in a 'don't get me involved sort of way.'

The young Captain then turned back to the way they came from. She was worried for her team and she wanted more than anything to be there with them right now, but she had to make sure no harm came to her employers. She sighed as she turned back to the two other women with her. She froze in shock as she came face to face with Yoruichi.

"Little Bee," Yoruichi said softly as she saw the worry in Soi's eyes, "You should go help your friends… they may need it more than us… I mean I'm real thankful you're all worried for me and all, but the bitch and I can take care of ourselves." Yoruichi pointed a thumb over her shoulder towards Kukaku who was still sulking. "And even though it may not look like it the Shiba over there has some pretty impressive moves… and as much as I don't like to brag I have some pretty amazing moves of my own… hehe maybe I could show you a few when you get back." Yoruichi grinned at Soi's blush; she placed her hands on the shorter woman's shoulders and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Now go help your team." With that she brought Soi in close for a quick good luck, or what she thought as good luck, kiss and spun the sputtering Captain in the direction of the fighting and pushed her forward.

"Get going! We're going to need you guy again, since we never achieved independence." Soi looked over her shoulder and nodded as she raced off towards her friends.

_"And here I thought she would forget about that."_ Sighed Suzumebachi as Soi raced to reach her comrades.

_"Quite Suzumebachi… we'll help them with their mission no matter what."_

Yoruichi watched as Soi's form disappeared into the shadow of the night. She turned and let out a startled gasp as she nearly bumped into her friend's large bosom.

"Well, well,well… it seems that someone here has a crush… and since I know it's not me… so spill Shihōin." Kukaku smirked as she waggled her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

"Eh… hehe um there's nothing to tell." Yoruichi chuckled nervously her hand scratching at the back of her head. She turned quickly and walked to the other side of the clearing.

"_Right_… I'll get it out of you sooner or later." She then flopped onto the ground bored.

* * *

Soi head Rukia's scream and a crash as she ran back to the battle in the abandoned clearing. She stopped in shock as she saw what was before her. Renji lay in Rukia's arms wounded and unconscious. Rukia was on her knees staring up at the monstrosity before her in shock the monster lifting up its weapon for a final strike and Hitsugaya… her best friend and second in command lay sprawled a few meters away bleeding away from a deadly wound to the chest and back. His breath was labored as he fought to get to his feet and help his friends, only to fail and fall back to the ground with a pained yelp before falling unconscious himself.

"_That bastard!"_ Soi thought venomously as she flash stepped in front of Rukia as the blade made its way down.

Rukia watched stunned as a figure appeared before her to stop the second attempt at her life that night with a loud *clang* as two blades met. Soifon stood over Rukia and Renji's prone forms as she held her blade over her head horizontally keeping the halberd at bay. She glared up into the glass container with the two heads.

"You bastard… I'll make you pay for what you've done here." Reiatsu built up through her body, and when enough energy was gathered Soifon released it knocking the halberd away. The force was so strong it managed to actually dislodge it from Aaroniero grip, while forcing Aaroniero's massive form to be pushed back a few feet.

_"What the hell was that little girl!"_ Aaroniero seethed as he regained his bearings. Soi was surprised herself since she had no idea what happened either, but she would worry about that later. At that moment she had to fulfill the monster's death wish for harming her friends.

"_Sting all enemies to death Suzumebachi!"_ and at her command her sword transformed into the deadly gauntlet and stinger.

_"Ha… hahaha you think you're going to beat me with that tiny needle HAHAHA that's rich that very rich."_ Aaroniero sent out several tentacles at Soi. In a simple pivot she grabbed the scruff of Rukia's neck, as well as Renji's, she flash stepped to the other side of the clearing well before the tentacles hit the ground. She then flash stepped right in front of Aaroniero human body, her feet lightly touching the purple flesh underneath.

"If that's as fast as you are… then I'm happy to say you're dead." With that several hōmonka burned their way onto Aaroniero revoltingly massive body. He screamed in pain as the death marks burned their way to the surface of his body where they finally turned black to signify their completion.

_"W-what have you DONE!"_ He bellowed as he looked down his body in shock.

"Those are called hōmonka; they are the first step in a two step technique that will be a guaranteed death known as the Nigeki Kessatsu… as you can see I've made sure to add a few extra, just for the added pleasure of causing you pain. So tell me which one you want me to aim for…" Soi pointed at Aaroniero head Suzumebachi's deadly tip gleaming in the moon's light.

_"You…you I'll get you for this!"_ Aaroniero shouted as he brought up his tentacles, each one aiming to get Soifon.

"Pathetic" She whispered as she disappeared from his sight, after he noticed burning to his human body where a hōmonka appeared over his chest, both arms and legs, and back. The two heads within the capsule gasped in shock.

_"Damn you… Damn you to HELL!"_ Aaroniero's tentacles raced towards the Captain who reappeared at his right leaning against a tree. The tentacles hit, but only hit the tree she had been leaning against.

"It's time to end this pointless fight…" Aaroniero heard from behind him which was accompanied be a painful stab to the back. Soi watched as Suzumebachi's poison took affect eating away at Aaroniero's body, while he desperately clawed at himself in agony.

Soi flash stepped to Hitsugaya's body she removed her jacket and used it to place pressure on his wounds. She looked over to Rukia and saw she saw that the other woman was performing a low level healing kidou. It wasn't anything impressive, but it did get the blood to stop flowing from Renji's injured back. She said her own silent incantation and began repairing as much of her friend's wound as possible.

"Kuchiki-san heal as much of Abarai's injury as possible without draining yourself. We'll head back to the Black Cat's base for better medical attention." Soi said as she finished stanching Toshiro's wounds, she carefully lifted her friend up his head resting on her shoulder.

She looked over to Rukia and saw that Renji lay slumped on her back. It would have made Soi laugh, seeing as how Renji was two feet taller than Rukia with the tips of his feet barely skimming the ground.

"Alright let's get out of here. We should be able to find Yoruichi about a mile away from here." Soi said as she headed west to where she left both her employers… hopefully they stayed in the same spot.


	11. I hate this channel

Chapter Eleven: I hate this channel!

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N

Gah this was sixteen pages of pain to write… and it feels weird like I did something wrong… and sorry about the randomness in one part, but I was having writers block, and couldn't think about what to do for it.

* * *

After the fight with Aaroniero, Soi had rushed off into the brush of the woods, Rukia following along, to find a nervous Yoruichi and grumbling Kukaku, who had stopped her grumbling when she saw the state the two male members of the group was in. Kukaku had immediately called Ganju and told him to return with the train to an appointed spot. Yoruichi had rushed over to Soi who had Hitsugaya wrapped in her, then, blood soaked jacket while sending a worried glance to Renji who was on Rukia's back (she would have laughed at the sight, but the mood didn't call for laughing). Lucky for the redhead his injuries weren't as severe as the young man in Soi's arms. Yoruichi had lifted the cover off the white haired teen and almost gasped in shock. His wounds, which Soi had desperately tried to stanch back at the battle ground, had reopened and were bleeding through the white leather of Soi's jacket and onto the short girl herself. It had looked so bad that Yoruichi had asked if she had been hurt too. Soi had replied in the negative which left Yoruichi sighing in relief, which caused the young Captain to look at her in confusion, but Yoruichi didn't give Soi time to think about her actions. The dark skinned woman had hurriedly pulled off her own orange jacket and placed it over Hitsugaya, who had started to shake from blood loss. She had pressed down on his wounds and tried some simple healing kidou. It worked and his wounds were once again stopped, though only temporarily.

Luckily for them Ganju hadn't been too far away when the call was made, and almost twenty minutes later he was running through into the clearing out of breath. They then followed Kukaku's brother back to the train, which was stopped only half a mile away from their previous spot in the forest.

* * *

So there was Soi waiting in one of the many elaborate rooms at the Shiba estate, which was also the Black Cats secret base, waiting and recuperating after their near death experience. It had been an anxious night of waiting for the doctors, who were also resistance members to another group, to finish up on the two injured members of Soi's team. The doctors had been able to finish up right as the sun had been coming up brightening up the dark world for a new day, with news that both men would be fine. They would just need some time to heal up.

She sat on the comfortable bed provided to her by her employers in borrowed cloths, her own were covered in so much blood the servants at Kukaku's residents didn't think they would be salvable. She didn't mind that they would most likely be scrapped, though she hoped that wasn't the case with her favorite jacket. She had tried earlier, after the announcement that her friends would be alright, to get some much needed sleep, but she was just too wired up for sleep to come.

She let out a tied sigh as she fell back into the soft folds of her mattress; she tried to relax and closed her eyes. A few minutes later they snapped open and she let out a growl of frustration. It was no use she was just too restless to get some sleep. She pounded her fists into the soft material under her and let out another sigh.

"_Well this sucks."_ She thought as she glared at the cream colored ceiling above her.

"_Oh poor Soi- chan… do you need me to sing you a lullaby? I know this awesome one, and it starts like this… 'There once was a man from Nantucket'-"_

"_That's not a lullaby you idiot It's a freaking __limerick__!"_ Soi mentally shouted while sending a mental glare at her Zanpakuto.

"…_really, but it's so cool! I love it… man from Nantucket haha…"_

"… _umm hey Soi-chan where is Nantucket?"_ Suzumebachi asked genuinely curious.

"…_You're not serious are you?"_ When Suzumebachi continued to look at her in wide eyed curiosity Soi sighed and shook her head in exasperation, _"I can't believe I'm indulging such a dumb question… Nantucket is just an expression… a play on words to get the limerick to rhyme. It doesn't exist."_

"…_Oo… I knew that! I was just testing you, and I'm happy to say that you passed! Congratulations Soi-chan!"_ Suzumebachi laughed nervously while scratching at the back of her head, She then high-tailed it out of there leaving Soi to her own thoughts.

"…_I still can't believe she's my sword's soul… "_There was a light knock on her door, and before Soi could say anything Yoruichi opened the thin paper covered material to the side and stepped into her room. The dark skinned woman closed the door behind her and walked over to her bed, her steps not making a sound.

"Hey there Little Bee" Yoruichi said as she sat on the edge of Soi's bed, "How are you feeling?" She placed her right hand over Soi's own. Soi let a small smile grace her lips as she gave Yoruichi's hand a gentle squeeze. She then sat up before speaking.

"I'm alright now that I know Hitsugaya will pull through… and Renji of course." She then rubbed her free hand over her eyes.

"I-I hate to admit it… b-" here Soi paused as if unsure of how to continue. Yoruichi again gave the smaller woman's hand a reassuring squeeze. Soi looked into the dark skinned woman's bright eyes and felt like she could trust her with everything. It was strange, and in a way very unsettling, but she didn't care. Yoruichi wouldn't judge her and she would never give away her secrets. She knew this because she could see it through her eyes, the windows to the soul, as corny as that may have sounded.

"I was scared, no terrified I had lost someone very dear to me. Toushiro was my very first friend you see. He's four years younger than me and I consider him as a younger brother, and before he arrived at the garden I was alone. I didn't make friends… I was actually afraid to, I had once had someone, someone I adored but they were gone one day… though I can't remember it all very clearly… sorry I don't think I'm making sense." Soi stopped and looked away from those hypnotizing eyes, but a hand on her chin turned her back, the compassionate look directed at her allowed her to continue.

"But Toushiro came to the garden, he was lonely too he had lost his family due to a petty dispute with Las Noches and one of its many territories. He never cried, at least not outside of his room, but behind those doors he would let it all out. One night he was whimpering for his grandmother, begging her not to leave him… I couldn't stand it anymore and left my room and snuck into his… I didn't know how to comfort him, so I just lay next to him and ran my fingers through his hair" Soi paused again, this time to chuckle softly, "He seemed to like it a lot, even going so far as to turn towards me and wrap his small arms around me effectively trapping me there with him… but I stayed through the night and when he awoke the next morning all he said was thanks, well after falling off his bed in shock that is. So we've been friends ever since, and the thought of losing him tonight left me feeling weak like I had failed them all in some way." Soi said sadly, unconsciously rubbing her thumb over Yoruichi's palm. Yoruichi smiled and leaned in to hug her.

"Silly Little Bee, the only way you could ever fail someone is if you did nothing at all, so don't be too hard on yourself, because you did something, and you did save them all. So job well done Captain, now I want you to lie back down and get some well deserved rest… that's an order." Yoruichi teasingly said as she removed her hand from Soifon's and placed them over her shoulders pushing the young woman back into bed. She then ran her fingers through the short silky locks of her hair.

Soi felt her eyes get heavy as the dark skinned woman continued to run her fingers through her hair, she was finally able to relax enough to fall into a peaceful sleep. Once Yoruichi was sure Soifon was asleep she stood up slowly while removing her fingers from the sleeping woman's hair and quietly moved to the door that would lead to the dimly lit hall.

"Sweet dreams Little Bee." She whispered as she stepped out and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Later that day, after a pleasant and very restful sleep, Soifon found herself walking along side Yoruichi, who had insisted that the two of them go out for a while and get some fresh air. They had left the 'secret base' and were now walking along the decrepit town side by side in comfortable silence.

Soi thought about her friends who she had left in the care of the Shiba Matriarch's care, Soi shuddered at that thought, Hitsugaya and Renji were both awake and walking around as if nothing had happened to them, though both men would wince whenever they did anything to strenuous. Rukia had sat on the plush couch with her sketchbook resting in her lap as she drew little bunnies all over the pages doing various things. Most of them looked remarkably like them in combat, Yoruichi had sputtered with laughter at the ones that looked like her and Kukaku, though when she had turned away from the offended girl she had an envious look to her.

Soi smiled as she remembered that. She looked through the corner of her eye and noticed Yoruichi was watching her intently.

"…Is something wrong Yoruichi?"

"…No not really, I was just thinking." Yoruichi said as she looked away from the younger woman, ever since the early morning she had noticed that Soi had been more open with her… more trusting, and she truly appreciated it even if she wasn't sure why at the moment.

"So what are you thinking about?" Soi asked a little hesitant as she stopped on the bridge in the part of the town where the more modern part, the part Las Noches had an interest in, was overlooking the many tracks and trains.

Yoruichi also paused in her walk and thought for a moment.

"Well to be honest with you I was thinking about you. I thought about what you were saying this morning, I was also thinking about yesterday and how we were fooled. I was also trying to come up with a new plan… I was just thinking haha!" Yoruichi said sheepishly since she couldn't just wrap her thoughts about just one thing, even though most of her thoughts did revolved around Soifon but she couldn't tell the young woman that.

"Anyway I thought it was a beautiful day, and we needed a well deserved break for a bit since I know for a fact that once we get back to the base Kukaku will have you guys working like dogs to capture Starrk. Even if it means she has to send you all the way to Las Noches to do it…" Yoruichi said with a sigh as she pictured her sadistic friend towering over the SeeD's a whip in hand and laughing manically.

"… I can almost picture her standing over us with a whip demanding we do her every bidding." Soi shuddered at the image, and Yoruichi gaped but then laughed. It was funny to see how much they thought alike.

Yoruichi finally managed to stop her laughter after a few moments, though they almost started up again when she saw Soi's perplexed look, and walked over to the shorter woman by the rail and took her hand.

"I think that's enough talk about crazy women and whips, I wanted to relax and get away from all things resistance related for a few hours and have some fun." She said as she tugged Soifon's hand until the other woman started to move.

"Now come on I wanted to check out this new café that opened up around here." Yoruichi said as she continued to pull Soi along with her until they came to a set of stairs that lead down to an open plaza, which was mostly empty, and to a large building with a gated patio with chairs and umbrellas. Soi disentangled their hands, Yoruichi felt a strange sense of loss from the contact, and walked up to the tinted glass door and pulled it open gesturing the dark haired beauty through before following herself.

* * *

"Well I've managed to figure out what the President is really doing here." Growled Kukaku as she sauntered into the living room, her brother following nervously behind her, she reached the plush couch Rukia was occupying and glared at her brother who immediately ran to fetch her favorite smoking pipe. She turned her head to observe the two male SeeD's who were sitting around her desk playing some popular card game everyone was into now a days. Though it lay forgotten when Kukaku spoke up, their demeanor changing completely from the laid back attitude they had, had all morning.

"… And what is he doing here Shiba-san?" Hitsugaya asked. Kukaku simply raised her arm to her mouth in a hushing motion, and waited until Ganju came back with her pipe. It didn't take long for the violent woman's brother to rush back into the room with a lit pipe in his hands as he kneeled before her and offered it to her.

"Good boy Ganju." She said with a sneer after taking a puff and blowing the fowl smoke into his face causing him to cough and wheeze. She turned her attention back to Toushiro.

"I've found out that the President is here to make some lame ass announcement at the TV station… security there is very, and I mean _very_, tight." Kukaku blew a stream of smoke up towards the ceiling in a relaxed fashion.

"But why do they need to be here for that? I mean they could broadcast whatever it is just as easily from Las Noches?" Toushiro pondered, his arms crossed with his right hand rubbing his chin as he thought about Las Noches' strange motives.

"…Do you think it could have anything to do with the communication tower in Rukongai?" Rukia spoke up from behind her sketch book while everyone else in the room turned to face her.

"Rukongai? Communication tower? What's that?" Kukaku growled confused, she hated not knowing something that could be important in their quest to victory.

"Rukongai was a small town that was attacked by Las Noches. It has a communication tower that can receive and transmit radio waves. The tower had been abandoned for years after the digital age came about. For some reason the Las Noches Army got it up and running a few days ago." Renji told Kukaku as he leaned back in his chair, his arms behind his head. Kukaku thought about the significance of what was said for a moment and then chuckled.

"Ah… I get it now. The only TV station that can handle broadcasts over the air is here. Other stations use an HD cable, which would only support online broadcasting." She took another puff of her pipe and blew it out through her nose.

"I don't understand? Why would it matter how they broadcast anything?" Toshiro said confused. To him it seemed to be a waste of time, money, and resources.

" You have a lot to learn youngling," Kukaku chuckled, "They're planning on using radio waves, this way they can transmit images to regions without cable…"

"Damn it that's not what I meant? And don't ever call me that again!" Toushiro shouted in frustration.

"I meant what is that bastard going to broadcast? Why use the radio waves to transmit all over the place? What could be so important that they need to tell the whole world about it?" He said angrily, wishing Soi was there at the moment. She would have this figured out in no time.

"M-maybe he wants to offer District seventy-eight its independence..." Kukaku looked at Rukia again with a disbelieving look etched onto her face.

"…Or not…" she mumbled as she hid behind her book.

"…It would be great if the first message after so many years was a declaration of independence, but it is highly unlikely." Toushiro mumbled after a moment.

"Who cares what those monsters have to say… all I know is we need to prepare for anything, and we need to plan!" Kukaku stood up and stretched.

"We also need our wayward leaders back so we can come up with something." She then walked to the doors that lead to the stairs that lead to the upper level.

"Well are you kids coming? We got's a dictator to deal with… and we need your Captain, and my lustful leader to get him."

The three SeeD's glanced at each other confused by the crazy woman's words, but followed after her anyway… it was their duty after all.

* * *

Back at the café Yoruichi and Soifon were seated outside the afternoon sun partially covered by scattered puffs of fluffy white clouds, enjoying their drinks and talking about nothing in particular. Well Yoruichi was anyway, Soifon was just content to listen to the dark skinned woman talk and laugh about trivial things she had done in the past.

"Then there was this one time when I was really young, maybe nine, I used to live in a small coastal village. There was this one orphanage I would always hang out at. I used to play with this cute little girl, she couldn't have been older than six maybe seven years old, well it was more like me dragging her out to stupid… and in a lot of those occasions dangerous locations where we would explore everything." Soi sat a little straighter as Yoruichi talked about her adventures with the young girl.

"She was my best friend… she would always make sure to look out for me," here Yoruichi's tone took on a sadder tone, "… even though I was older… Shaolin… she acted far older then she was…she gave me this necklace you know, said it had belonged to her mother before she passed away." Yoruichi said as she lifted up a beautiful necklace with a gorgeous diamond pendant attached to it and a golden dragon wrapped around it, as if to guard the shining stone. Soi watched as its inner light glowed in a mesmerizing fashion which allowed for a multitude of color to reflect off its surface and onto the table below.

_"…my little one… keep… safe… your du-"_ Soi rubbed her forehead as she felt a headache coming along.

_"What was that? A memory, but it was so faint… what was it… it's no use I just can't remember." _Soi looked up and saw that Yoruichi was still enraptured by the beautiful pendant, stroking her lithe finger over the ridges of the golden dragon fondly.

"The sad thing is I had to move away shortly thereafter, my dad was called home and we had to leave… dumb thing was that I never got to say goodbye." Yoruichi let the pendant drop, it landed heavily between her bosom, where it settled and was then covered by the flap of Yoruichi's jacket. They sat in silence for awhile.

"That stone it's a 'heavens tear drop' isn't it… I hear those things are supposed to be super rare … no one knows where they come from." Soi said making an effort to keep them from falling into an uncomfortable silence.

"…Shaolin used to tell me stories about how they were crystallized tears that fell from the Gods eyes when they were heartbroken by the destruction caused by man… she said that they would fall from the heavens, and those who were blessed enough to find them would know the Gods loved them, and that they would bring them luck. I got to admit; ever since I've had this pendent I've always had some form of luck." Yoruichi laughed as she thought of all the times she was able to get out of dire situations, ones that she should have never been able to walk away from unscratched. She put her hand over the covered pendent and smiled.

"It's like she's still keeping me safe, even when she not here with me." Soi watched Yoruichi's eyes mist over as she remembered her long lost friend.

Soi was about to speak again, but a smack to the back of her head stopped her, and caused her to bang the front of her head onto the table.

"Oi we've been looking everywhere for you freaking love birds!" Kukaku growled while Soi rubbed the back of her head, she noticed Kukaku's hand was still in the air where her head used to be. She jumped out of her seat and pulled out Suzumebachi, ready to cut off the woman's other arm.

_"Yeah we're finally going to put psycho woman in her place!"_ Cheered Suzumebachi in glee as Soi took a swing at Kukaku.

Kukaku watched the blade come at her, but luckily for her Soi's team grabbed at her sword arm. Renji had it in a death lock, while Toshiro and Rukia had their arms wrapped around her shoulders and neck.

"Whoa there Captain! No killing the employers, no matter how much they annoy you remember!" Renji shouted as he struggled to keep Soi's sword from reaching its target and making mince meat out of the crazy woman.

"Come on Captain… take a few deep breaths, and count to a hundred." Rukia tired to offer as Soi continued to struggle in their grasp in an attempt to get at Kukaku. It didn't seem to be working; in fact Soi seemed to be redoubling her effort.

"Soi-chan, killing her isn't worth it! So please stop, plus we have information about the real President, and what he's doing here!" Toshiro tried the more logical route it didn't seem to work at first, but slowly Soifon stopped her struggling and lowered her weapon.

_"Well they have the worst timing."_Suzumebachi glowered

"…Fine I won't kill… or hurt her, now let me go." Soi said menacingly and her friends were quick to let go, knowing now wasn't the time to push anymore of her buttons. She sat back down in a huff while still shooting hate filled glares towards Kukaku; said woman just shrugged her shoulders and took the empty seat next to Yoruichi, who had a nervous smile on her face. She had thought for sure that Soifon was going to cause some serious damage.

"S-so what was this on knowing why the President is here?" Yoruichi asked in hopes of changing the subject, and dispelling the tension hanging over Soi.

"Huh… oh yeah, it would seem that our _beloved_ President is here to make a very important announcement over the air at our town's very own TV station. In fact he should be starting any time now, and when he does the entire world will be witness to whatever it is." Kukaku explained. Toshiro strode forward and began to explain about the events that took place back in Rukongai and their fight with Las Noches. Yoruichi leaned back in her chair, hand on her chin, in thought.

"…I just don't understand why they are going through all this trouble… we need to get to that station. Whatever he has to say won't be good… and we'll make sure that whatever he has planned won't come about." Yoruichi said seriously, she turned her gaze towards Soifon and the petite Captain understood perfectly.

It would be their job to stop him… no matter what the cost.

* * *

It only took them half an hour to reach the large building that would be the epicenter of revolution, or at least that was what Kukaku had blurted out before having the group follow her, now they were there they were lost on what to do. Because the President was there the station was heavily guarded. There were well over five hundred Las Noches soldiers there, on the roof, the streets, and well over two dozen of them guarding each entrance.

"…Well this sucks." Renji groaned as he watched the heavily armed soldiers from his hiding place in one of the many alleys that surrounded the station. He turned back into the debris littered hideout and looked to Soifon.

"There's no way we'll be able to get into the building with all those guards outside, and even then there would be the hundreds of them inside too…" Renji could only think of one way to describe their situation, "We're so boned."

Soi just rolled her eyes at her friend's words. It was true that they were in a difficult situation but they were SeeD, and they would find a way to complete their given assignment. Yoruichi and Kukaku stood off to the far side of the alley in deep discussion trying to come up with a plan.

"I could always have Ganju run around them naked… that would distract even the most hard core veteran… and we could sneak by while he's getting his ass kicked." Kukaku tried to offer, since all her other plans had been shot down. Yoruichi just glared at her friend and shook her head once. Nothing they came up with seemed to be good enough. They would need something big, because even if they had Ganju run around, only a few of the soldiers posted at the entrance would be sent off to deal with him. She turned and watched as Toshiro and Soifon looked out the edge of the alley and pointed at some random spots. She then noticed Rukia and Renji pointing at the large outdoor screen that out be seen from all parts of District seventy-eight.

"It's bigger than I thought it would be." Rukia whispered to Renji as they tried to guess how big the thing really was.

"But what's that sound it's making? It's starting to hurt my ears." Renji asked as he tried to ignore the awful whining noise the screen was making.

"It's testing the frequencies in all the regions," Soi said from the other side of the alleys opening garnering everyone's attention, "the noise will not only connect the radio frequencies, but it will gather people's attention. That means that it's almost time and that means we need to do something before it get too far out of our hands."

She turned to look at Toushiro who nodded in encouragement.

"Ok this is what we need to do. Renji Rukia and Kukaku I want you three to head to the abandoned buildings scattered around the station, you know which ones, and set up explosives. With all those fireworks we may be able to distract enough of the soldiers… if that's not enough, then I give you both permission to use your Zanpakuto and use force. I doubt you'll have to use them; since explosions so close to the President will have everyone running to find the cause and stopping it. Once they go off I want you three out of there and back at the base. Hitsugaya Yoruichi and I will use this distraction as a way to get in. Hopefully the explosions will have everyone in disarray, and with luck we'll be able to grab the President and get out of there… Now let's h-" A loud screeching sound forced Soi to stop giving out orders, and brought their attention to the large screen which now had images filtering across the plasma screen.

An announcer came onto the screen and began to test the sound system.

* * *

_**"Testing… 1…2… testing… People of the world good day to you all, I would first like to take this time to announce that this is not a recording, this is live! Yes I know its been nearly over two decades since a live broadcast has been used over radio frequencies, but here you have it and actual broadcast… over the air! As well as our usual use of the HD cable! Ahem… so sorry I seemed to have lost my composure there for a moment. Anyway District seventy-eight and Las Noches would like to present to you at this time a message from our great and respected President of Las Noches, and all its territories, Coyote Starrk!"**_ The really Coyote Starrk walked up to the podium, his prominent look of boredom etched onto his face.

_**"Greeting to you all"**_ Starrk paused to yawn behind his hand, _**"Forgive me but I've had a very long day, my name is Coyote Starrk, President of Las Noches. Today I stand before the world to make a proposition. We the people of this world have the power to end all wars."**_

"I don't believe it! Is he actually offering a peaceful proposal to the world? I don't believe it!" Kukaku shouted angrily as she watched the despicable, at least in her opinion, man who had the audacity to speak about peace when he himself was a murdering dictator, luckily for her he continued speaking.

_**"Unfortunately, there are a few threats standing between Las Noches and its proposal, namely those who stand in the way of peace."**_ Kukaku laughed at that.

"Ah there's the bastard we all know and hate. This isn't any peace proposal, it's his subtle way of declaring war on the world!" She said gleefully.

_**"I plan to convene with other nations' leaders immediately to resolve all these problems."**_

"Yeah right" Kukaku growled pissed, "It's more like so he can go threaten the rest of the world!" Yoruichi placed her hand over her friend's mouth, she couldn't hear what the President was saying.

_**"…ime allow me to introduce the ambassador, and his entourage, who will be my representative for the conference."**_ Starrk stepped away from the podium to allow another man to stand before the camera.

This man was elderly looking with a white moustache and white hair. His face was lined by large scars on the left side of his chin and across his right eye. Despite his aged appearance, the man was quite stocky and muscular, especially when compared to the others around him, and when standing before them (albeit with the slouch of an elderly person) he was of a fair size. He wore a regal white leather coat with black fur lining, which had short sleeves and three black fur stripes running along the bottom. He was also wearing a golden wrist band on both wrists and a belt which consisted of three thick chains attached to a large metal disk with a sun emblem, and like all other Las Noches soldiers and had a bone like crown adorning his head.

"N-no way! That's Las Noches' Hollow King! He's supposed to be a great warrior! Kukaku is right, this is no peace talk, with the Hollow King it's a definite sign of war." Soifon said shocked that Las Noches would have the nerve to go against the world.

_**"Greetings, my name is Baraggan Luisenbarn and it is my great honor to accept the role of ambassador for the great country of Las Noches and bring about the President's proposal of peace. I would also like to at this time introduce my assistant, who has given us much information on those who would stand in the way of peace, please allow me to introduce to you all Sosuke Aizen."**_

"What?"

Aizen walked up onto the podium a smug grin on his face as he turned to face the camera.

_**"People of the world, today I come before you all to give you a message of great importance! I have learned a great secret that has been kept from all of you, one that will shake the foundations of your beliefs. I have learned that those who call themselves SeeDs, defenders and 'heroes' are nothing more than power hungry monsters who want nothing more than to take this world for themselves, and turn it into a warzone with great profits. They care nothing for the people, just the amount of money they garner from your pain. That is why I have come to Las Noches the last country to truly stand against them. So I urge the rest of the world to listen to what our great President has to say. Thank you."**_

* * *

His appearance had been an hour ago. After he had left the stage, and allowed Baraggan back to the podium, Yoruichi had called for a withdrawal. It would have made matters worse if they had tried to attack the President then. They had carefully snuck back to the base where they were surprised to find Matsumoto waiting for them with a message.

"I have a message from Seireitei Garden for you Captain Soifon." The busty blond handed over the encrypted message and Soifon took it and left the room, Yoruichi watching her with concern. The room was quiet for only a few moments before the questions began.

"What happened back at the Garden Matsumoto? How did Aizen get here… why is he here?" Toshiro solemnly asked the busty blond while his eyes remained on the door his friend had walked through only moments before. Rangiku looked at the floor sadly.

"…I don't know how he got here, but I do know he left the Garden in bad shape. One minute we're all in class the next moment its code red. He hurt a lot of people, and he pitted many of them against each other… Hitsugaya-kun he… he hurt Momo-chan." She cried as she placed her hands over her face as she remembered all the blood surrounding her best friend. Toshiro whipped his head, eyes wide, away from the closed door at the news that Momo was critically hurt.

"Will…will she be alright…. Why… what did he think he could accomplish with his actions!" Toushiro shouted angrily as he clenched his fists tightly by his sides. Rukia and Renji watching silently, they too were worried about what had happened at the Garden.

"…Matsumoto-san is there anything else you can tell us?" Rukia asked hesitantly. She was worried about her brother and friends. Rangiku took a moment to compose herself before answering.

"All I know is that he attacked the senior classes first, before heading towards where the younger students where. We were lucky that all the instructors where there at the time, not to mention several SeeD. It was actually your brother and Urahara-san who were finally able to drive him away… unfortunately your brother was hurt, but he'll be ok. That bastard had used his Zanpakuto… So there was a lot of damage, plus he… he had Gin and Tousen to aide him."

The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension as Rangiku finished her report. Yoruichi watched the group's reactions. Toushiro was shaking with barely suppressed rage, Rukia was near tears and pale, and Renji looked like he was ready to go back to the station and rip apart the traitor but he stopped himself by offering comfort to his female friend. She looked to Kukaku and noticed the dark haired beauty point to one of the doors leading out into the hall. With a nod of her head Yoruichi followed her friend out of the room.

* * *

"Can you believe all this crap?" Kukaku asked when she was sure they were far enough away from the door leading into the meeting room.

"This is all messed up… I actually thought that everything would finally work out with SeeD finally here… I guess it was too good to be true huh?" Kukaku leaned against the wall her hands behind her head.

"…So what are we going to do now… I mean those guys aren't one of us… and sooner or later they'll be gone, and by the looks of things it may be sooner than we thought." She sighed as she watched Yoruichi's downtrodden figure. She too knew that with what had happened it would force the SeeDs back to the Garden, and that saddened her greatly she had been ecstatic that the Headmaster had given them SeeDs and she was even more happy to see how well she got along with them… especially the petite Captain.

"… We'll see what Soi has to say when she comes back… but Kukaku if they have to go against Las Noches… well I'm going with them." Yoruichi said seriously her eyes hard when she lifted them to meet her friends. Kukaku just laughed and nodded in agreement.

* * *

It was several hours later when Soifon gathered everyone into the meeting room to discuss their new course of action. Everyone had, had enough time to come to terms with what had happened and calm down as best they could. They were all ready for some action.

Soi walked into the room with a heavy heart. She looked to each of her friends and comrades, they all had lost any sense of ease with Aizen's betrayal. Toushiro sat with Rangiku with his arm around her shoulder in a protective manner while Rukia sat in a desk chair with Renji behind her, one hand on the back of the chair and the other on his sword ready to draw it should anything come near them. Yoruichi and Kukaku stood at the far wall, shadows covering their faces and expressions. Soi felt a strange sense of sadness when she couldn't see the smile usually prominent on Yoruichi's face. She shook her head and dispelled those thoughts.

"I have received orders to implement Garden Code, Article 6 Line 13."

"Article 6 Line 13…which one was that again?" Renji asked confused as he tried to remember the many rules and codes.

"In the event of emergency… wherein SeeD members find the return to their original Garden not possible… report to the nearest Garden and await orders there… and with the way Las Noches has basically placed Marshal Law in this region, I think that would be the best course of action." Toushiro said as he lifted his head and looked directly into his Captain's eyes.

"That's right, we are to head Las Noches Garden-"

"Wait a minute Captain! That Garden belongs to Las Noches, hence the name!" Renji shouted irritably. Soi just rolled her eyes at his outburst.

"Abarai it may be called Las Noches garden, but it is independent of the country plus our contact will be there with further orders." She sighed rubbing her forehead. She had a headache coming along.

Yoruichi frowned so they were going to leave.

"…and what about our current mission?" Rukia asked quietly from her seat, her eyes looking down at her folded hands in her lap.

"That mission apparently hasn't changed at all. We are still to aid the Black Cats, but first we must reach our contact at the Garden. If they are willing to wait awhile we'll head out meet our contact complete whatever mission is given to us and then head back here where we will continue to offer our assistance." They sure were asking a lot out of them but Soi was glad they wouldn't be abandoning the Cats for long.

"That won't be necessary Little Bee… We've decided to follow you guys to the Garden… well I have anyway." Yoruichi said ignoring Kukaku's indigent sputter. She held up a hand to quiet her friend and continued speaking.

"Kukaku you need to stay here, and make sure those Las Noches bastards don't abuse the people of the town now that they have it under Marshal Law, and I could guide our SeeDs to the garden since I know this region like the back of my hand… and don't any of you try to argue with me! I'm going no matter what." Yoruichi said with a determined look about her.

The SeeDs looked at each other uncertainly until finally they were all looking at Soifon.

_"Well this just blows."_ Whispered Suzumebachi.

"…Whatever… we leave at daybreak, so everyone get a good night's rest.

* * *

Once the sun rose from the horizon the SeeDs and resistance leader were off. They first took a local train, using forged ID's courtesy of Kukaku, and headed towards the station outside the forest that would lead to Las Noches since the rail leading to the Garden was blocked by Soldiers.

They got off the train at the East Academy station, and proceeded into the dark forest.

"Well this isn't creepy at all." Muttered Rangiku as she followed behind Toushiro, she wasn't watching where she was going and walked into a spider's web.

"GYAHHHH!" She franticly swiped at the sticky substance on her face and hair.

"EW GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!" She tripped and landed on top of Toushiro, who let out a long suffering sigh as he felt Rangiku's large breast rubbing into the back of his head.

"That's enough Matsumoto! Quiet down we don't know what kind of Hollow lurk around in this forest, and I personally don't want to find out!" Soi hissed as she rushed over to the panicking woman and removed the web. Soi then lifted her off of Toushiro and pulled him up to his feet.

"Thanks So-" He didn't get to finish as he promptly fell back towards floor unconscious. Soi caught him before his head hit the unforgiving dirt path.

"Hitsugaya! Hitsugaya wake up… come on Toushiro her boobs couldn't have been that hard!" She shook his shoulders in hopes of waking him up, ignoring Rangiku's glare. Next to Rukia Renji dropped down to his knees before falling forward into the dirt out cold.

_"Oh…crap not again…"_ Soi could feel herself slip from the waking world and into the world of dreams… or in her case nightmares.

She fell on top of Toushiro with a growl.

"SOIFON!" Yoruichi rushed over to Soi's prone figure and fell to her knees next to her. She lifted her head off of Toushiro and placed it over her lap. She ran her fingers through Soi's hair in concern.

"What the hell's happening to them…? Soi wake up!" Yoruichi said panicked while Rangiku picked Toushiro up and held him close to her body his head resting on her shoulder. Rukia knelt down next to Renji and brushed a loose strand of his fiery locks away from his face.

"They went into the dream world…" Rukia said once she was sure Renji was ok. She turned back to the other two women. Yoruichi and Rangiku exchanged incredulous looks with each other before turning to look at Rukia.

"… Are you high…?"

Rukia blushed embarrassed.

"NO!"

* * *

A/N Yes the whole Nantucket thing is very random, but I was struggling with this chapter.

_There once was a man from Nantucket  
Who kept all his cash in a bucket.  
But his daughter, named Nan,  
Ran away with a man  
as for the bucket Nantucket_

That's actually the clean version… there are just way too many bad/nasty versions lol, but I love it…

_There once was a pirate named Gates_

_Who thought he could rhumba on skates._

_He slipped on his cutlass _

_And now he is nutless_

_And practically useless on dates._

I also liked that one.


	12. Dreams Lost

Chapter Twelve: Dreams Lost

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N

Well I hope you all enjoy this chapter… and a big thank you to all those people who have taken the time to review, you guys are the only reason I continue.

* * *

"Oi Kurosaki you sure we're going the right way?" Ryuken shouted as she stumbled out after his wayward leader in the middle of a hot and humid, not to mention in the middle of nowhere, jungle. Isshin continued to read the map as he walked on, ignoring Ryuken's complaints. Jushiro walked behind them, his usual smile in place as he watched his two friends bicker about their current location.

_"…Crap not this again…"_

"I swear we're going the right way… in fact the camp should be right… around… this bend, and here we are- whoa!" They did turn the bend but instead of the camp an ancient ruin was located where the X on their map was. Isshin looked down at the map in confusion turned it over to read the cover and groaned inwardly.

"Um… guys I may have accidentally… pickedupthewrongmap…sorry" Isshin turned to his two friends with a nervous smile. Ukitake just laughed good naturedly and Ryuken's glare could have killed death itself.

"I'm sorry Kurosaki what was that you said… I think I miss heard you." Ryuken said in a deceivingly calm voice as he stalked closer towards his wayward friend and commanding officer.

"Well you see I was running late this morning and I had to rush to get ready, and when I went to the supplies tent for the map… I may have accidentally picked up the wrong one…oops." Isshin waited for the fallout his words were sure to generate. He didn't have to wait long as a fist came flying at his face, he would have dodged but figured it would be better to let Ryuken get his anger out.

There was a loud crack as the fist connected with Isshin's face sending him toppling into a nearby tree.

_"Whoa nice hit."_

"You idiot how could you make that kind of mistake?" Ryuken stalked closer to his friend and was preparing to hit him again when Jushiro blocked his path.

"Alright guys that's enough, we all make mistakes so stop with the blame game and let's check this place out. It's our duty to make sure there is nothing there that would be a threat to Las Noches." He smiled and started to walk down the slope and towards the ancient ruins.

"What is this place… Whatever it is keep your eyes open, this place gives me the creeps." Isshin said as they came upon the looming ancient structure. Broken archways littered the ground as they blocked off most of the old paths. The only one not covered in debris was to their right and it looked recently excavated.

Someone had been there before them not to long ago.

* * *

They passed through the opened tomb and into the unknown structure. There they were surprised to see that the entire interior of the ruin was made of strange multi-colored crystals that seemed to glow from an unknown source. There were three paths, one the lead right and another that led left, and one that went forward. Golden circles edged these openings with strange writing on them.

"Ok… I am officially creeped out now. This place defiantly gives out scary vibes." Isshin shuddered as he backed away a few steps from the center of the room. Ryuken grabbed the collar of his uniform and kept his uncouth friend from running off.

"Come on you coward we need to check this place out, especially if there really is someone else here." Ryuken then dragged Isshin after him as the trio made their way towards the opening to the right.

* * *

The three wayward soldiers had been exploring the ruin for three hours, and had come up against many high level Hollows, though there was no sign of anyone else being there. That's not to say they hadn't found any evidence to there being other people there, there had been tools tossed about abandoned. They now stood in a wide space with only one opening that lead up.

"I think we've looked around long enough guys. Whoever had been here before is clearly gone no-" Isshin was cut off as he heard a gun cock behind them. The three soldiers quickly dove for cover as a group of unidentified soldiers opened fire on the spot they had been standing on not moments before.

"Well this is crap!" Isshin shouted from behind the boulder he was hiding behind his arms over his head for protection. Ryuken and Ukitake were both hiding behind the corner that led up to some winding stairs.

"We have to do something or we're all dead." Ryuken grumbled over the sound of gun fire. Jushiro nodded and pulled out a flash grenade from the pouch hanging from his belt, and handed over to Ryuken. The dark haired man took the grenade and pulled the pin.

"Kurosaki shut your eyes!" was his only warning before he threw the grenade. Isshin had only a split second to comply before a blinding flash lit up the room. There were yells of surprise and pain as the soldiers were temporarily blinded. The three Las Noches soldiers dashed out of their cover. Ryuken gathered energy around his pentacle and watched as it expanded into a bow. He quickly pulled back on it and fired off hundreds of spirit arrows at the enemy taking out five. Jushiro and Isshin both pulled out their swords and made quick work of the six others.

"Well that was lame. These guys were no match for us." Isshin kicked one of the downed soldiers in the side flipping him over.

"Hm… they look like Karakura troops, but what are they doing here?" Jushiro questioned as he took in a downed soldier's appearance.

"It doesn't matter now we took care of them." Ryuken said as he walked over one of the fallen bodies over to Jushiro.

"Umm I think you may be mistaken." The white haired man said as he pointed over to one of the fallen men who was standing up shakily with the support of the wall near the path that would lead back to the entrance they had come from. He pulled out a device from his tattered uniform and activated it.

"Y-you will nev-er win… for o-ur… honor." He weakly said before he died falling back to the ground.

"Oh sh-" Isshin's curse was interrupted by the large explosion that brought half the room down around them while knocking the three into the walls behind them.

* * *

When the dust cleared the path leading towards the entrance was blocked with fallen crystals. There was fallen debris everywhere.

Isshin was the first to regain consciousness. He coughed several times to dispel the dust that had managed to invade his lungs.

"H… hey g-guys… you okay?" He asked worried when he didn't get their replies.

"…guys answer me!" He shakily stood up his vision blurred for a moment before it adjusted again. He noticed an intense pain at his forehead and brought up his hand to the pained spot. When he removed it he saw that blood was covering it. He knew he had a concussion then, but ignored it for the moment. He needed to find his friends.

He spotted Jushiro near the corner by the stairs knocked out, he moved over to him. He gasped in shock when he got a good look at his white haired friend. There was a crystal shard run through his left side, and with the blood dribbling down his chin Isshin was worried it may have hit his lung. He kneeled beside the prone man's head and shook his shoulder gently. Jushiro coughed up some blood before opening his eyes with a groan.

"…well… that was… fun…" He groaned as he tried to sit up, but the intense burning at his side forced him to stop.

"Yeah… let's never do it again." Came Ryuken's voice as he stumbled around a crystal boulder. He was limping as he made his way over to them and held his right arm close to his body. Even from his vantage point Isshin could see the arm was broken.

"We need to get out of here." Ryuken then said as he saw the crystal shard protruding through Jushiro's side. Isshin gave a silent nod of agreement before placing one arm around Jushiro's shoulder and placing Jushiro's arm around his own shoulders as he helped him up to his feet.

"It looks like we can only go up… so let's go."Ryuken said as he led the way.

* * *

"... Well this is a bunch of bull." Ryuken growled as they stood on the cliff overlooking the ocean the waves lapping against the rock face below them.

"Hey don't say that, look down there there's a boat we can use that to escape to Las Noches and get some help. So stop with the freaking negative attitude." Isshin said as he hefted Jushiro up a bit since the other man had begun to slump a bit.

"H-he's right… Ryuken, this… is our way home." Jushiro said with his always present smile, though it looked strained at the moment, which offered some comfort to his friends.

"Well that may be, but how the hell are we supposed to get there… I mean there aren't exactly any stairs that lead down to it are there?" Ryuken asked with a huff of frustration. Isshin walked behind his friend and smirked.

"Well that's an easy fix." He then kicked Ryuken over the edge. He ignored his friend's shrill scream of revenge as he turned his head to look at Jushiro. With a nod of understanding Jushiro removed his arm from around Isshin's shoulders and was tossed into the ocean after the raging Ryuken.

"Wow this is one high cliff…" He jumped off screaming all the way down, before hitting the ice cold waters below.

* * *

Soi slowly opened her eyes only to be greeted by the most breath taking sight to ever exist, though she would never have the nerve to say so out loud. Around her Renji and Hitsugaya also started to come around.

Yoruichi was kneeling over her a bright smile gracing her face as she watched Soifon open her eyes. She felt relief at the knowledge that the young Captain was ok. She then let her sincere smile turn into a sly one.

"I knew I could wake sleeping beauty with just one kiss." Soi looked confused for a moment, before noticing the taste on her lips, almost like strawberries, her eyes widened in shock.

_"Hey Soi-chan you ok… Soi-chan… Soi… oh for heaven's sake snap out of it!"_ Suzumebachi shouted frustrated.

After finally snapping out of her shock Soi had blushed and quickly jumped up. She had been about to run off but noticed Yoruichi's expression had begun to become depressed. She willed up as much of her courage and offered the dark skinned woman her hand with the bright blush marring her face. Yoruichi's smile could have lit up the darkest skies any day with the happiness radiating off her at that moment.

The two then made their way over to the rest of the group.

"So what the hell was that all about?" Toshiro asked confused as he struggled to get out of Matsumoto's hold. After he had awoken the busty blond had been smothering him with attention, worried that he would faint again. It was driving the poor boy crazy.

"That my friend would be the hapless hero who has haunted our dreams before, but it seems that he and his friends have gotten into a bit of trouble this time." Renji spoke from his spot next to Rukia as she continued to fuss over him; he seemed to be enjoying the attention.

"We are wasting time standing around here. We need to get to Las Noches Garden." Soifon finally spoke. If it had just been her having these dreams then she could pass them off as some crazy dream, but no, life couldn't be that simple could it.

* * *

They had finally made it out of the forest and into the red rocked desert of Las Noches garden, and even from this far from the Garden they could tell the place was huge.

"Whoa… that is one big school." Renji whistled in awe.


	13. Las Noches Garden

Chapter thirteen: Las Noches Garden

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N

There you have it another filler chapter that brings us one step closer to the end (I already have about twenty chapters out lined and still that's just halfway there). The next chapter will also be a filler, but the one after that shall contain more action (hopefully)… and tragedy (maybe).

Once again a **Big thank you!** to all of you who do take the time to review.

* * *

"So how long do you think they're going to make us wait?" Asked Renji from his spot on the black leather couch, his arms thrown over the back rest with his head tilted in a relaxed fashion. The others in the room also sat in similar positions. Rukia lay next to the redhead her head on the armrest while her feet lazily lay in Renji's lap.

"Who knows…?" Toshiro said as he stretched his arms over his head from the chair he was on.

"You know it would have been nice if they gave us something to eat. I mean we've been traveling for the better part of the day, with no food… I'm hungry." Rangiku moaned from the leather couch on the other side of Renji's. She had taken the whole thing for herself, leaving Yoruichi to sit in the last chair in the room while Soi stood behind her a frown marring her face.

It was true that when they had arrived the group was ushered into the guest room by three very loud bickering girls. Here they had been made to wait for, Soi looked down at her wristwatch, two and a half hours now. It was getting to the point where even her patience was running thin. She hoped it wouldn't be much longer now.

"I wonder if they would mind if we could look around. This place is so much bigger then Seireitei Garden. I wonder if they have different curriculums?" Rukia asked aloud.

"Who knows… they probably just teach the same thing our Garden does, but since Las Noches has a larger territory then Seireitei, it would be wise to assume that is would have a larger student body to accommodate." Toshiro said as he stood from his chair and moved over to the large bay window that showed the expanse desert touching the beautiful borders of the Las Noches Garden.

When they had reached the Garden the group was amazed at the lush vegetation surrounding the training fields. There were flowers of every color framing the outer walls. While deep green grass, perfectly trimmed made up the inner wall of the Garden where students were seen hard at work training. What amazed them the most was the students practicing on the jet packs. Yes Seireitei Garden taught that course as well, but they didn't have nearly as many students interested in it. Here though there were hundreds of them flying around. In fact one had just passed by the window breaking Toshiro from his daze. He turned to the door when he heard it start to open.

Soi too noticed the sound and turned to the door. When it was fully opened Soi cursed her luck before being tackled, well not so much as tackled it was more like being manhandled, as Urahara rushed into the room and swept her up into a bone bending hug, one that nearly broke her spine due to his enthusiasm.

"SOI-CHAN its been so long!" Urahara laughed as he swung his former student around in circles ignoring the incredulous looks everyone else in the room were directing at him.

Soi was finally able to free one of her arms from Urahara's tight grip after several minutes of being twirled around in circles. She lifted it high before bring it down, none to gently, to the top of his head.

"Put me down you fool!"

Urahara pouted but did as told rubbing the back of his head afterword.

"Ow Soi-chan that hurt." Soi's eye twitched in anger at the hated suffix, but before she could hurt him for it Yoruichi stood and came over and placed a hand on her shoulder, she instantly relaxed at the touch.

"And who might you be?" She asked as she continued to unconsciously rub her hand over Soi's shoulder a little jealous of the man. When he had come into the room and jumped Soi, she had been so sure that the petite woman would have ripped the man a new one. Instead she had allowed him to pull her into a hug as if it was a common occurrence, and with the way the others had just stared in amusement, she was sure it was.

Kisuke looked away from Soi to the new member of the group he hadn't noticed before and grinned at the glare she was shooting him.

"_Well well well what do we have here…? A girlfriend for my student? Heheh perfect."_

"Hello there my name is Urahara Kisuke" He paused for dramatic effect "and I am Soi's boyfriend." It was said so seriously that the room's occupants were dumbstruck. Kisuke waited for the fallout with a smile behind the fan he had pulled out of his coat.

"_This… is going to hurt, but anything for love…haha!"_

"WHAT!" came the simultaneous shout from both Soi and Yoruichi, but while Yoruichi's angry shout had plenty of shock in it. It was Soi's indigent shout filled with anger that was heard loud and clear followed by a fist to Kisuke's face. With a loud crack he stumbled back and onto the floor.

"Don't make up stupid things like that you jerk! You know I have no interest in men!-" She quickly covered her mouth at the outburst and turned red.

"_Shit! I can't believe I said that out loud! Damn you Urahara… gah!"_

"…_YES!"_ Yoruichi thought, she know knew that she had a definite shot with the petite Captain. It was perfect, now she didn't have to feel guilty for all those teasing moments and stolen kisses.

* * *

The room's uncomfortable silence was cut short when the door that led out to the halls of the Garden was opened and a tall woman with dark skin, green eyes, blonde eyelashes, and messy short blonde hair walked in. She was wearing an oddly-cut white, like most of the students, jacket which covered the lower part of her face downward, while baring a good portion of the lower half of her breasts while the sleeves completely enveloped her arms, finished in black glove-like extensions.

The two men in the room let out low, appreciative, whistles as they looked the woman up and down while quickly glancing over at Matsumoto trying to decide whose bust was bigger, but their wayward glances were cut short when both Rukia and Soi elbowed them at their sides, hard. Both Renji and Kisuke doubled over in pain.

"Good day to you all, my name is Tia Harribel and I am the Headmistress of Las Noches Garden." Her voice was low, but the group didn't have trouble hearing the power behind it. "I have orders here from your Garden. As per regulations I have gone over these orders and after careful consideration, we here at Las Noches Garden have decided to fully assist you in the endeavor set before you. To be honest we too had been planning something similar since it is all Gardens that are in danger. What the President has planned is complete madness, and I shall not allow my students to be placed in such danger." She took a deep breath to calm the anger she felt towards Las Noches and its leaders.

"As such I must brief you on the current situation. As you know the Hollow King has been appointed as the _peace_ ambassador for Las Noches, but we all know this ambassador crap is nothing but a cover up. There will be no peace talk's only threats. Las Noches plans to use fear to negotiate favorable conditions for itself. It is clear to all of us that Las Noches' ultimate goal is world domination, but there is one thing stopping them and that is the Gardens. It is no secret that the Hollow King plans to attack our Garden, and use it as his base of operations… I cannot allow that to happen. That is why we headmasters of the gardens are entrusting our world's peace and future to you… You must not fail." she finished speaking and handed over the mission specs to Soi.

She took them and quickly read them over, her eyes widening in shock. She reread it just to make sure there was no mistake, but rereading it only caused a heavy pressure to be placed on her chest. She felt ill.

"Hey Soi… what's it say." Toshiro asked from his spot at the couch while Matsumoto had his arm gripped to her chest, a worried frown marring her face. While Renji stiffened at the look. The other three of their group just waited nervously for whatever it was to come out.

"…It… it says" Soi coughed nervously while looking over towards the Headmistress who nodded in confirmation, "...We are to assassinate the Hollow King, President Starrk… and Aizen."

The occupants of the room, those who had been sitting anyway, abruptly jumped to their feet in shock while yelling. She couldn't tell who was yelling what.

"What do you mean assassinate them!"

"How the hell are we supposed to do that!"

"Have they all gone mad these people have an army of loyal followers protecting them how the hell do they expect a bunch of fresh out of the Garden SeeD to complete that! I mean look how our kidnapping attempt went!"

"This is crazy!" It went on and on like that for several minutes before Soi finally had had enough.

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!" She took a deep breath as the room went instantly quiet, Yoruichi and Kisuke, both of which had been the only ones not shouting, stood at her sides with serious looks as they stared down the others in the room.

"We are to take them out from afar… and for that Las Noches Garden is offering a sharp shooter. We are to support this Ichigo person to our fullest… should he fail we are to attack head on." She looked up from the mission specs to see Harribel nod yes that she was right. There was a knock at the door which slowly opened when Harribel gave them permission to enter. Through the door walked a tall young man with orange hair and brown eyes. He was dressed differently from all the others at Las Noches', instead of their customary white uniforms he was wearing a black trench coat the top closed and the edges frayed and with red lining, black pants and bandages covering a great portion of his abdomen. He also had a very large sword strapped to his back.

"This is Ichigo… he shall be your sharp shooter." Harribel said as way of introduction while ushering the young man forward. He offered a bow before standing up straight and raising a hand up.

"Yo…" was his only greeting before stepping back while Harribel once again took center stage.

"Once again your mission is to assassinate the leaders of Las Noches; Ichigo will be your sharp shooter. Should he fail" Ichigo frowned there "It is up to the rest of you to take them out. Is that understood?" The SeeDs nodded, "Good… you are to meet your contact at Las Noches. The contact point is written down and with your Captain." Harribel took one last look at the assembled group before leaving the room.

She prayed that they didn't fail.

* * *

They boarded the train that would take them to Las Noches with no problems. Once on board the group split into smaller groups.

Rukia and Renji had decided they had wanted something to eat so they headed towards the dining car located farther up the train, Ichigo, who had taking a liking to Rukia (which annoyed Renji to no end), tagged along.

Hitsugaya decided he wanted to get some rest and headed for the room reserved for them. Rangiku not one to skip out on relaxing went with him which left Soi with Urahara and Yoruichi.

It kind of unnerved the young Captain when she observed how friendly the two were being. Considering not too long ago while they had been making their way to the station Yoruichi couldn't stop glaring death at Urahara's head.

She felt a shiver of unease run down her back when both of them looked back at her with a, what was to her, sinister glint in their eyes. She felt it would be best to retreat to safer grounds, and that meant running away. So with a quick goodbye she ran out of the car for some fresh air.

* * *

"Ok now that she's gone we can talk a little bit more freely." Urahara said as he relaxed into the seat provided by their room. Yoruichi sat down next to him and propped up her legs on the short table situated in front of them.

"Now just to clarify you are not just playing around with my little Soi-chan are you, because if you are I will be most disappointed in you, and I would have to punish you in some way..." Urahara brought his strange hat lower to his head in hopes of being more intimidating that way.

Yoruichi just took the threat with ease and relaxed more into her seat.

"I really do like her," she began to say "she's serious a lot of the time, but I've seen her be caring as well, and I know she's loyal to her friends. I do want to get to know her a bit better, and maybe get past the stage of just flirting, God knows how hard I've tried to get her to ask me out or something like that for the past few days." She finished with a huff. Urahara just snickered.

"Yeah she can be a bit dense sometimes... and bullheaded." He sighed as he once again shifted his hat into a different position.

"Well since you seem to be genuine in your attempt at wooing my dear little pupil, it is my duty as her instructor, even if it is former, to help you get the girl!" He leaned over and put his arm around Yoruichi's neck and brought their heads closer together. He gave a conspicuous eye wink and began to formulate a plan.

Poor Soifon wouldn't know what hit her in the end.


	14. Mission Begin

Chapter Fourteen: Mission Begin

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N-… no excuse… and sorry for the grammar and spelling, as well as for the beginning of this chapter. It was forced, and doesn't feel like it fits very well with the second half which is after the train station.

Like always thank you for taking the time to review, and a special thanks to Aceina for the concern and reminder that I really did need to update after such a long delay. Thanks again and enjoy.

* * *

Finally, finally they were in the city of Las Noches, after spending nearly an entire day in a train with two hormonal teenage boys, both fighting over the most trivial of things just to show off their "skills" and impress the Kuchiki princess.

Needless to say they failed, well unless you counted said princess beating the crap out of the both of them a win.

That wasn't the worst of it though thought Soifon as she gratefully stepped off the train and onto the marble covered platform of Las Noches' train station, the moon gleaming through the large glass dome over them with the city's lights blocking out the stars. While large funny looking parade balloons hovered all over the city, and loud jovial noises filled the streets.

The worst had been walking in on Yoruichi.

Now walking in on her was a common occurrence for Soifon, she would consider it strange not to at this point, but she had walked in on her client sleeping peacefully, she had looked so innocent curled up, both hands resting under her head while her shapely legs had been brought up towards her chest. She had reminded Soifon of a cat at that moment and she hadn't wanted to interrupt, but Urahara was incessant that she bring the dark skinned woman's meal to her. Soifon blushed a deep red as she remembered what had transpired after she left the dining hall.

* * *

Soifon walked down the narrow passage of the train towards the compartment that housed them for the trip to Las Noches, carrying a small tray laden with an assortment of snacks. Urahara had suggest they get something for the beautiful dark skinned woman since she had opted not to come with the rest of them, and she had been the one forced to take it up to Yoruichi.

She stopped before the redwood door that would lead into the large SeeD room. Soifon took a moment to balance the tray before quietly opening the door. She then proceeded to walk to the small table near the center of the dimly lit room and place the tray down. She turned to go look for Yoruichi, but stopped in her tracks as she noticed the dark skinned woman sleeping on the plush red couch curled around a comfy pillow.

'Wow…' Soi thought as she observed Yourichi's relaxed features, 'She really is beautiful… like an angel, only hotter…' then she promptly turned red at the uncharacteristic thought. She then shook her head to get the thought out before finally making her way over to the sleeping woman. She knelt next to Yoruichi's head and brought her hand up to her shoulder and gently shook it.

"Yoruichi… hey Yoruichi it's time to get up… I… I um got you something to eat." Yoruichi gave no response to the gentle nudging. Soifon sighed as she tried again to get the other woman to wake.

"Come on Yoruichi, please wake up!" Soifon said a little louder putting a bit more force behind the nudging. This time Yoruichi did respond by grabbing Soifon's hand and pulling the younger woman on top of her. Soifon had not expected Yoruichi's actions and wasn't prepared for the abrupt action causing her to fall into the other woman stunned.

Yoruichi felt the light weight land on top of her waking her finally. It took a moment to clear the grogginess from her eyes, and when they were she let a small smile play across her lips.

"I knew you couldn't resist me Little Bee."She said her voice still thick with sleep. Soifon stiffened in her hold before trying to pull out of Yoruichi's embrace. Yoruichi just held on tighter. Soi sighed and gave up her struggle.

Yoruichi… could you p-please release me?" Soi asked pitifully as she lay red faced above her employer in an awkward position that placed her much too close to Yoruichi's face, namely the goddess' lush lips. Soifon's more deviant side just begged her to close the gap and claim them for herself… but before she could act out her darker half's desire she was saved from a potentially embarrassing situation in the form of Suzumebachi drop-kicking those thoughts in the shape of a massive headache.

"Gah!" Soifon yelped shocking Yoruichi into letting her go. She rolled off Yoruichi and onto the floor clutching at her head as the worst of the headache passed over her.

"Soi! Soifon… what's the matter?" Yoruichi asked worriedly while she knelt next to her Little Bee

"_Damn it Suzumebachi! You didn't need to be so violent!"_ Soi growled ignoring the worried goddess for the moment.

"_Hey I tried to get your attention, but you were too busy ogling that woman's lips, plus you were about to kiss her! Which caught me by surprise considering that every time she does it you practically faint."_ Her sword's spirit said with a huff.

"…_tch"_ was Soi's only reply as she forcefully shoved Suzumebachi to the back of her mind causing her sword to let out an irritated 'hey!'

Soi let go of her head and sat up, and looked to her right where Yoruichi sat with a worried look over her features, her hand at Soi's back. She sat up and gave Yoruichi a small smile trying to ease the worry from her features.

"Everything is fine Yoruichi, just a headache but it's gone now." She then stood up and took a few steps back.

"Ahem… so a-anyway I gathered a few snacks for you just in case you were hungry… please enjoy." She bowed low before standing upright and quickly making her way out of the room before Yoruichi could say anything.

Her face red and her heart pounding.

* * *

God she felt pathetic, letting someone get to her like that. She was supposed to be calm and collected a boulder in the center of a raging river, but that wasn't the case with Yoruichi, no with Yoruichi she felt like a small fallen leaf in a raging river her emotions being washed all over the place. She could never bring herself to be indifferent in the presence of the other woman's warm golden eyes, and embarrassingly enough she didn't want to. She enjoyed Yoruichi's teasing and flirting… and the stolen kisses she admitted to herself as a pink hue made its way across her cheeks.

It made her feel special… loved something she hadn't felt since her childhood, or what she could remember of it.

"Yo Captain!" Renji's voice broke her out of her musings. She turned to him not surprised to see he had Rukia's arm in a tight grip as he dragged her behind him ignoring the glare she sent towards the back of his head. Ichigo was following close behind the two a scowl of his own directed at the redhead. Standing a distance behind them near the train were Yoruichi, Urahara, and Hitsugaya. A frown formed on her brow as she noticed how close the former two were standing next to each other Urahara whispering to Yoruichi, and Soifon couldn't be sure from their distance but it looked like he was nervous about something.

She was forced to look away when Renji reached her and blocked the view of the others. He had a large grin as he spoke.

"So Captain what are we going to do now?" He pulled Rukia closer to him, a frown replacing the former grin, when he noticed Ichigo trying to sidle next to her.

"We are to head to our clients estate, there we will be briefed on the mission specs and our rolls." She replied curtly, "Let's go!" She finished loudly gaining the last three members attention, she noticed that Yoruichi looked reluctant to follow as she turned and began to walk away. She was about to stop and ask the dark skinned woman what was wrong, but Urahara stepped in and placed a comforting hand over her shoulder and allowed her to lean into him as he pulled her after them. Soi felt a lump form in the pit of her stomach as she witnessed how comfortable the two looked next to each other. She turned away from the sight with a scowl and with a stiff back marched away towards the Noble district of Las Noches.

* * *

'_So…Soi-chan who is this client?' _Suzumebachi questioned curious. As she watched the world passing by them through the bus window, as they were driven to the Noble district.

_'Some noble with a lot of power… I believe his family supplies L.N. with a great majority of its weapons… He is also the General of the army… and a member of the nation's council…"_

Suzumebachi sat cross legged with a hand on her chin as she pondered over her master's words.

_'Hey Soi… could this man be planning a coup d'état?'_ She finally decided to ask only to have Soifon shake her head side to side in a negative.

_'Maybe… but it doesn't look like he wishes to overthrow the government… only those who seem to want to bring the wrath of the world down upon it.'_ Soifon said as she moved her gaze from the window toward the interior of the bus which wasn't much to look at just brown faux leather seats aluminum shell and dim lighting. She did notice though that Yoruichi was sitting next to Urahara, unnecessarily close, whispering while her leg fidgeted nervously up and down in quick succession while Urahara moved his hand up and down her back in a soothing motion. Soifon twitched in annoyance and turned away from the sight. Ever since they got here Yoruichi had been silent and nervous. Soifon could understand that feeling since she was an enemy of the state but this seemed different somehow, and most annoying of all was she had chosen Urahara over herself as the one to confide in on what was troubling her.

A few seats up, closer to the front of the bus, she noticed that Renji and Ichigo were crowding around the small form of Rukia. The poor girl was pressed tight over both males as they glared at each other, both refusing to move away from her and give her some space. She really needed to put a stop to the useless competition between the two before they got in trouble, but she really didn't want to at the moment. She had her own problems at the minute. Plus with the tick above the young Kuchiki's left eye it looked like she would be dealing with it soon enough. The last two members of her team sat in the seat in front of hers, his head on Matsumoto's shoulder, her fingers running idly through his soft hair, while he slept soundly for the time being.

"We will be reaching the Noble district in five minutes… please make sure to gather all your personal belonging. Thank you." The voice of the haggard looking driver said. Soifon sighed as she once again looked around at her group to make sure they were getting ready. Rukia looked ready to bolt away from the two sitting on both sides of her, and the boys had stopped glaring long enough to check over themselves to make sure nothing was missing though they quickly went back to the glaring once they were done. She then looked over to Yoruichi and Urahara. The lazy looking man had removed his hand from Yoruichi's back and was looking out the window with a solemn expression, and Yoruichi she was looking straight at her with such a sad expression. Soifon stood up without another thought and marched over towards Yoruichi's seat, only pausing when she was right next to the other woman. She then grabbed Yoruichi by the arm and dragged her out of the seat and to the back of the bus.

"What's wrong Yoruichi?" Soi whispered as she sat the other woman down in the empty seat at the back of the bus. She refused to let her nervousness around the other woman keep her for finding out what was going on with her crush. Yoruichi shifted in her seat and brought her hand up to mess with her hair.

"It… it's nothing Soifon." She said quietly as she stood back about to head back to her previous seat only to be stopped by Soifon grabbing her arm in a strong grip.

"Bullshit!" The shorter woman whispered harshly, "There is something wrong! Now please tell me… I… I can't stand seeing such an expression on your face…" Soi hesitantly let go of Yoruichi's arm, and looked at the ground shyly as she spoke what was on her mind.

"You're meant to face the world standing tall with a take no prisoners attitude and a devious grin that instills confidence in others and fear into the enemy. This look… it's not you! So please tell me, I want to see the woman who makes me feel like I can take on the world… or like I'm about to collapse to the floor because my knees have gotten weak…" Soifon finished her rambling when she noticed Yoruichi shoulders shaking.

_'Oh…no please don't be crying…'_ Soi was about to turn Yoruichi to face her, but that didn't happen instead Yoruichi surprised the young captain by quickly turning around and hugging her instead.

"Y-Yoruichi-"

"Soi-chan… I'm sorry it… this city… the man we're going to see. He-he's my _father_!" Yoruichi said the last word as if it was something vile, "That man… no that monster is the reason Las Noches has so much power. He provided them with powerful weapons, and he's the one who ordered so many people's deaths. He's the reason District seventy-eight is the way it is… It's his entire fault!"

Soifon sat shocked as she brought her arms up rubbing soothing circles around Yoruichi's back.

'_So that's the reason, she's been working to free the people her own father has basically enslaved.' _Suzumebachi said as she came to the forefront of Soifon's thoughts.

'_I don't get it then. If her father is the reason for the District's state… then why does he want to assassinate the Hollow King and President?'_ She then asked.

That was a good question, and something she planned to ask once they got there, but for now she had to get her Yoruichi back from the depression her father seemed to have placed her in.

'_Your Yoruichi huh.'_ Suzumebachi snickered, but she was quickly locked away to the back of Soifon's subconscious. Soifon blushed but tried to ignore what her sword said.

"Y-Yoruichi… I'm sorry. I-I had no idea. I know this is hard for you. If you want I could find you a place to stay until this mission's over. That way we can get this over with and head back to District seventy-eight, to our real mission of liberating the town, and you wouldn't have to be anywhere near him." Soifon said as she pulled away from Yoruichi to gauge her reaction.

"No that's alright Soi-chan… plus I already forced myself into this mess, the least I could do is see it through to the end. I just wish I could do it without him recognizing me." Yoruichi sighed.

"Well that could be arranged!" Urahara said as he popped up from the seat in front of them, startling the two women although neither one would ever admit to it. He had lost the solemn expression from earlier which was replaced with a grin and he was holding up a black cloak with a wide hood and some bandages. Soifon, however, didn't care about any of those things. She stood up from her seat and grabbed the blond by the scruff of his shirt and brought his face down to her height.

"What the hell! Urahara how long have you been hiding there?" She yelled as she brought her fist up ready to pound on him. Kisuke lifted his arms, both still holding the cloak and bandages, up in a surrender motion as he let out a nervous laugh.

"Now, now Soi-chan no need to get violent. I just got here at the end of your conversation. I didn't hear that cute little speech about how Yoruichi makes you all weak in the knees honest!" Soifon started foreword ready to hurt him while he flinched, but Yoruichi's laughter stopped her. She looked back to the seat they had been sharing and pouted as the other woman pointed at the both of them while trying to get a hold of her breathing.

"Yoruichi this isn't funny!" Soifon said as she struggled to keep a grin from forming on her own lips. She was happy Yoruichi was smiling again. It really did look better then the depressed frown.

"You're right Soi-chan, but you to do make an entertaining pair." Yoruichi said as she got herself back under control, "So Kisuke, what do you got there?" She turned her attention to the forgotten man, who was still in Soifon's grip but she let him go once he started to speak.

"Well as I was saying Yoruichi. You can get into the estate without anyone recognizing you, and it's all very simple. All you have to do is cover yourself up, and that's where these things come in handy." He then held up the items for Yoruichi to take.

"Just take the bandages and wrap them around your face and the cloak will cover everything else. See simple!" He said with a smug grin

"What if he asks her to take them off?" Soifon asked.

"We say no, He's the one who needs our help. So he will have to accept that." Urahara said confidant his plan would work.

"Well I like it." Yoruichi said as she began wrapping the bandages around her face.

"I guess… but we'll need to give you a different name, and Urahara you can tell the others to keep Yoruichi's identity secrete while we're here. Now what should we call you."

* * *

Oh wow I just went through some of my chapters and realized this stupid site took out all my line breaks, now I'll have to go and fix all of them... what the hell *sigh*! And the very last line of this chapter was never supposed to exist, sorry for that.

-K


	15. Mission Begin… Part Two

Chapter Fifteen: Mission Brief… Part Two

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N- Grr there was never meant to be a part two… but this chapter is much longer then I thought it would be, and it's still not over! I still have one more 'filler' chapter, before we finally get to the assassination!

*Ahem* but anyway thank you to all those who review, they were very much appreciated! Oh and another special thanks to Aceina… you know why missy!

* * *

The group of SeeD and Yoruichi stood in front of a tall wrought iron gate in awe. Well the SeeD were in awe, Yoruichi had seen the damn thing hundreds of times and she was bored.

"So, Captain how do we get in?" Hitsugaya asked never taking his gaze off the impressive estate.

The estate was large at least three acres wide. It had a medieval look to it. The walls of the building were made of smooth weatherworn stones. It also had four long spiraling towers at least three stories high at each corner of the estate. There was a magnificent oak double door, with stained windows on either side of it, and there was a courtyard with cobblestone walkways well trimmed trees, flower beds, and evergreen grass with a maze located to the right of the building. In the center was a marble fountain with small winged cherubs carved into it.

"There should be a sentry around here somewhere. He's supposed to let us through." Soifon said as she stood ramrod straight.

_'So this is the place Yoruichi grew up in?'_ Soifon thought as she looked up at the foreboding structure.

_'It's so beautiful, but it feels so cold. It's creepy, like something out of a horror movie.'_ Suzumebachi said with a shiver. Soifon agreed. This place did feel cold. It must have been so lonely for Yoruichi growing up here.

She looked over at said woman, who was well hidden behind the cloak, and noticed a slight shiver run over her. Without hesitating she strode over to her and took Yoruichi's hand into her own.

* * *

Yoruichi had been lost in the memory of her childhood in the large estate with only the servants to keep her company. It had been like that ever since her mother had passed away, something she blamed on her father and the reason they had to move back to Las Noches. Once her mother was gone she was forced to move from her happy home in the little coastal town of Junrinan to Las Noches. She never got to say goodbye to Shaolin. It still hurt to remember how she was required to leave everything she knew behind.

She came out of her stupor and looked at the place she had been forced to call home for the past ten years and shivered.

She hated this place, and everything it stood for. A lavish home built on the blood of the innocent.

She jumped a little when she felt the small smooth skin of another's hand slip into her own, but she was quickly able to relax when she realized whose hand was in her own squeezing it reassuringly.

"Are you alright?" Soifon whispered concerned as she gave Yoruichi's hand another slight squeeze to offer her comfort. Yoruichi gave an encouraging smile, though it could not be seen behind the bandages, and tightened her own grip on the shorter woman's hand warmed at her concern.

"Yeah I'm good." She then spotted the guard approaching them.

"Now let's see how well this disguise works." She let go of Soi's hand and stepped away towards the back of the group so as not to draw attention to herself.

The guard stopped just behind the closed gate where they could get a good look at him. Soifon noticed as he came into view that he was wearing the standard Las Noches white uniform with a skull face mask. This mask was like all others in that it was bleached white, with a mouth full of fangs and eye sockets so black his brown pupils looked like they were floating in a sea of darkness.

"What business do you have here?" The Guard asked, his rough voice muffled by the mask.

"We're here on orders from Lord Shihōin." Soifon replied as she walked foreword to stand before the others.

"Ah yes, he told us he was expecting some guest today," The masked guard said as he placed a finger under his chin in a pondering motion, "But he also said not to let you through until you pass a test first." He said, and Soi could swear she heard a grin accompany his words.

"That was not a part of our contract." Kisuke spoke up next; his usual carefree grin was missing. Instead it was replaced with a cold glare and twisted scowl.

"T-that's right it wasn't," The guard stuttered before he realized there was no way the other man could get him from the other side of the gate, "But things change, and Lord Shihōin wants to test your skills." Soifon grimaced. She didn't like this, not one bit. It was as if they were being toyed with.

"…Fine what are we to do?" She questioned before Urahara could say anything more. Said man crossed his arms and turned away from the gate with a huff. Soifon inwardly sighed at his childish behavior before turning her full attention back to the guard.

"Lord Shihōin wants you to travel to Menos Grande Forest. Once there you are to locate a rare stone from a lake located somewhere within the forest. The stone is unique in color, and is known as 'deaths breathe' from there you are to make your way back to the estate. You are to complete this task within ten hours or less. Any longer and your mission will be forfeit. The parade in the Hollow King's honor will be held at exactly nineteen hundred hours." Soifon looked down at her watch and noticed that it was only nine in the morning, but because of Las Noches' unique location it was perpetually dark here. She looked away from her watch when she heard the guard once again speak.

"The sooner you get going the better, and remember to bring back one of those stones… if you survive that is." With a laugh the guard turned and walked away.

"Tch, bastard." Yoruichi growled as she made her way back to Soifon's side.

"I don't like this," She began, "Why would that piece of shit waste time like this on such an important mission?" Yoruichi didn't care one bit that she insulted her own father, but she did care about her friends and all this running around left a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She turned back to face the rest of the group and noticed that they too had some negative emotion plastered on their face.

Finally Soifon spoke up with an order.

"I agree with Yoruichi. This is a pointless task and very dangerous. Menos Grande Forest is known for its deadly fiends… that's why I refuse to take all of you-" She instantly received protest from the others. She held up a hand to quiet them down, which worked… barely.

"That's enough! With all of us there, there would be a greater chance of attack. A small group on the other hand would less likely be spotted, and if we are we can easily manage an escape." She turned to face them studying each member of the group, trying to determine who would be best for the task.

After a moment, in which she tried to remember her team's strengths and weakness', she determined that Renji, while strong, didn't have much speed and agility and his kido skills were very low. Rukia was better apt at kido but her strength and speed wasn't very high. Kisuke and Hitsugaya on the other hand both were balanced when it came to strength, speed and kido. She didn't know Ichigo that well so she couldn't chance taking him, and Yoruichi. Even though she had witnessed her great speed and agility, she couldn't risk endangering her… she was in love with her after all, though she had yet to admit it to herself.

"Right, I've decided that Urahara, Hitsugaya and I will be the ones to go. I want the rest of you to scout the city and her routes. We'll need to be prepared for anything once our real mission begins."

* * *

Yoruichi didn't like the decision to be left behind, and she let Soi know it by grabbing the shorter woman's arm and dragging her away from the others.

"I'm going with you." She said bluntly once she was sure they were out of earshot of the others. She dared the other woman to argue with a fierce glare, which was the only thing anyone was really able to see on her at the moment.

Soifon felt nervous. This was the first time Yoruichi had shown any type of anger directed at her, and though it hurt her to do it Soifon refused to back down.

"I'm sorry Yoruichi, but as Captain I can't allow you to go." She said with as much authority as she could muster.

"Why not?" Yoruichi responded angrily. Soi cringed. She didn't want to explain her reasons, because she knew they would be thrown back in her face.

"I cannot allow you to go because, because…" Soi tried to come up with something that didn't sound dumb and revealing.

"I…um, because even though you are quick it will take more than just that to get us through the forest. At least with Hitsugaya and Urahara they are both experts with their Zanpakuto and kido… you'd… just be in the way." Soifon had begun hesitant, then taken on a stronger tone, but finished weak and it hurt to say those things to Yoruichi.

Yoruichi felt something heavy take home inside her chest and heat rise behind her eyes, before it was all replaced by anger.

"How dare you call me weak," Yoruichi snarled quietly, "I may not have a Zanpakuto like you all, and I may not be a member of SeeD but I am the Leader to one of the most notorious resistance groups out there. I don't just have speed on my side, and I can fight just as well as all of you! I could probably beat all of you in an instant!" She then turned away; ignoring Soi's hurt expression, and stomped off in the direction of the city.

_'I never meant to imply she was weak, I just didn't want her to get involved if I could help keep her safe.'_ Soifon thought sadly as she watched Yoruichi disappear around a street corner.

'_I just couldn't bare it if something were to happen to her on my watch.'_ She felt a hand land on her shoulder, but she didn't bother to shrug it off.

"Don't worry Soi-chan. I'm sure you'll be able to work this misunderstanding out, but right now we really need to get going." Kisuke said as he tried to comfort his former student.

_'You still have a long way to go in the people department don't you Soi-chan."_

* * *

Four hours, that's how long it took to travel from Las Noches to Menos Grande Forest. Of course they would have been there sooner if a hollow didn't pop up around every nook and cranny.

Menos Grande forest, named after its gargantuan Hollows, was several hundred kilometers of towering trees, perilous paths and of course it giant deadly creatures. The ominous forest was usually avoided at all cost, but there they were ready to go into it just to get some stupid rock. Once they got back Kisuke was going to shove the damn thing down the guard's throat.

He let out a breath when he noticed Soi was lost in her depression and walked over to her moping form.

"Hey Soi-chan… I know you were just trying to keep her safe, and that you didn't mean what you said… and once we get back to the city, you can explain to her that you were being just a tad bit overprotective and that you know she could most likely whip all our collective behinds!" He said with a grin and a pat to Soifon's back.

"Urahara… you're humor at inopportune times is not appreciated… but you're right I will need to apologize once we get back" Soi then moved towards the thick foliage of the forest. Kisuke lifted his hand to the back of his head, but stopped when he heard his former student's words.

"Thanks for trying though." She then disappeared into the shadows of the woods with Hitsugaya following not to far behind.

* * *

"God if I never see another bush again it will be too soon!" Kisuke whined while he pulled his snagged jacket off another shrub. His other two companions followed out after him with less trouble.

"Well maybe if you didn't where that damn robe-"

"It's a jacket, a very fashionable one at that!" Kisuke interrupted Hitsugaya. The latter frowned at the interruption. Soifon continued forward, ignoring the two males since they had done nothing but argue with each other. They did get serious when forced into a confrontation with a large Hollow, but the beast was dealt with rather easily when Hitsugaya froze it to the spot and Soifon came in for the kill. Other times they were required to slip stealthily passed groups of the monsters.

"Well maybe it you wore a more practical _'jacket'_ then you wouldn't get caught on every bush and tree!" Hitsugaya shot back while making his way over to Soifon who had stopped at a clearing. He pulled up next to his friend and gapped.

In the very center of the clearing was a large lake. What made Hitsugaya pause was the lake's black surface which swallowed up the light not allowing anything to be reflected on its exterior. The strangest thing about it was the smooth top, with no ripples it just looked like an endless pit. Hitsugaya shuddered at the sinister aura it gave off.

"Well isn't this a cheery little pond. I bet with a bit more exposure this place could be considered a paradise." Urahara joked as he looked around their surroundings lazily.

"Anyway let's get the rock and get out of here we only have six hours left, and we still need to make our way out of here, which will leave us with very little time to get back… this sucks."

Soi fully agreed with Kisuke, this task was taking far too long and they still didn't have a stupid stone in their possession. She moved towards the edge of the dark lake and crouched down. She pulled up the sleeve to her leather jacket, her borrowed leather jacket, she remembered. Her jacket had been too stained with blood and Yoruichi had been kind enough to supply her with a new one, this one a tight black, it was a racing jacket, with yellow stripes circling the upper arms on both sleeves.

She reached into the inky blackness of the water and felt around for the stone. She felt something smooth come within her grasp and closed her hand around it. She pulled her hand out of the water and looked at the item in her hand.

_'Oh my… is that a skull?'_Suzumebachi squeaked as she observed the small human shaped skull in her master's hand.

"Hey Soi-chan did you find it?" Kisuke asked from behind her. She shook her head and tossed the morbid sight back into the shadowy depths without saying a word. She then stretched her shaking arm back into the water, and prayed that this time she would get what they needed.

This time when she pulled her hand out when she felt a smooth surface touch her fingers, she came up with a pitch black stone a little bigger then a baseball out with her. She sighed in relief as she stood up and turned away from the eerie lake and tucked the stone in the jacket's inner pocket.

"Alright let's get out of here." She said as she took a few steps toward her two companions. Once her gaze landed on them she instantly knew something was wrong, because as she looked them over she noticed that they were both very pale and wide eyed. Soifon then felt a drop of water land on top of her head.

"There's something big and mean behind me isn't there." She stated deadpanned. They nodded, their eyes never leaving the thing behind her. She let out a breath and turned to face the giant that had risen from the black lake. She could honestly say that she wasn't surprised to see the towering serpent shaped Hollow that had silently risen from the water without her knowing.

She had known that getting the stone had been too easy.

It was at least twenty feet tall and from the looks of it five feet wide. Its body was covered in bone black scales, which matched the water perfectly, and its skull mask was long and angular with two very long fangs, they were at least three feet, protruding from the top of its mouth. It had no eye sockets, but the pitched tongue the darted out told her it could still smell them.

For a moment man and beast did not move, both sides sizing each other up. Then as quick as lightning the serpent hollow stuck out at Soifon. She jumped out of the way to the right of the creature, but she was blindsided as something as thick, the hollow's tail, hit her and sent her sailing into a tree trunk which splintered under the impact. It temporarily knocked the breath out of her, as well as a few drops of blood from a crushed lung, left her open to an attack.

The hollow sensing the blood ignored everything else around it and shot out at Soi.

"Sing, Benihime!" Kisuke was quick to react with his Zanpaktou, and a large amount of crimson colored reiatsu was released from the tip of his sword and at the hollow. It hit the monster with immense force which knocked it into a cluster of trees. The impact was so great that the trees were toppled and dust was sent up into the air blocking Urahara's view of the damage done. He stood in a defensive position as he motioned for Hitsugaya to check on Soifon.

The young man was quick in making his way over to his friend. He reached Soifon and noted her slump form and feared the worst. He knelt next to her and placed a hand under her chin and gingerly lifted her head up. She was breathing was the first thing he noticed. The next thing was that she was actually still conscious, but struggling to catch her breath.

"It's ok Soi, I got you just hold on and I'll heal you." He brought his free arm up and over her chest where her heart was and used a kido spell.

Soifon felt the warm rush of healing energy and was finally able to breathe a bit easier. She allowed Hitsgaya to finish up before trying to stand, but that was the time the hollow decided to stop playing dead. It struck while using the cover of dust to its advantage, quicker than the two could react the hollow was upon them it's large fanged maw wide open and over them.

"Blood mist shield!" Urahara summoned a crimson shield by just barely being able to squeeze between the attacking hollow and his companions. He had noticed movement in the dust when Hitsugaya was healing Soifon's injuries and wasted no time getting to them and forming the protective barrier. The monster crashed into the shield. The shield took the full impact without so much as a waver in reiatsu and the hollow bounced off where it landed back in the murky depths of the lake.

"That was close eh Soi-chan?" Urahara said with his back to the two. He kept his eyes on the lake so as not to be caught off guard this time if the hollow chose to attack again.

"Yeah…close," Soifon said as she stood up with a helping hand from Hitsugaya, "But we really need to get out of here now, or we'll never make it back in time." She was finally able to steady herself without aide.

"Toshiro… we don't have time to play with this thing. Do you think you could freeze the lake long enough for us to make our escape?" She asked her young friend as she watched the water ripple before going still.

Hitsugaya stepped forward without a word and removed his sword from the sheath at his back.

"Sit upon the frozen Heavens!" His sword instantly was released at his words, as the zanpaktou finished its transformation; Hitsugaya brought the blade up over his head before bringing it down in a slashing motion. A large frozen Chinese dragon took shape at the end of the blade and flew forward at the lake. Once it touched the surface of the water it instantly froze the entire thing.

"Now let's get out of here before that hollow has a chance of breaking free." Kisuke said, he then sighed disappointed, "To bad we didn't have more time, we could have then destroyed the hollow… oh well."

He turned back to his friends. He looked over Soifon and determined that Hitsugaya had done a decent job with his healing kido and he himself wouldn't have to do anything more. Though that didn't stop him from gathering the young woman up in his arms, while she was distracted, and start to make his way out of the forest. Soifon shouting for him to release her while Hitsugaya followed after the pair shaking his head at their antics.

* * *

The trip back to the city took nearly just as long as it took to get to the forest. Though there were considerably less hollows around the area now. Soifon was deadly when angry Kisuke noted.

Soifon sighed as she and her group made their way back to the Shihōin estate, where hopefully Renji and the other's where waiting for them since Hitsugaya put in the call an hour before they made it into the city limits.

Her group rounded the corner and spotted the other three SeeD members waiting by the tall gate. They all looked bored until Rukia noticed Soifon and with a shout she quickly made her way over to them.

"Hello Captain, welcome back. I hope your trip into the forest wasn't too difficult." Rukia said as she came to a stop before the group. Renji pulled up just to the right of the young noble and gave his friends a grin. Ichigo came to her left.

"You guys cut it close. Did you run into trouble?" Ichigo questioned as he took in the trios appearance. He noticed that all three looked scuffed up, but other than that they didn't look to bad.

"We're good, we just ran into a little distraction at the lake. Other than that we we're able to avoid most battles." Urahara spoke up for the group. Soifon looked around the assembled members of their party and noticed that Yoruichi was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Yoruichi?" She asked Rukia who was closest to her. Rukia looked shocked for a moment, not understanding what the Captain was talking about for a moment. She then took a look around the group and noticed that Yoruichi was indeed missing.

"I don't know ma'am. I thought she was with you since we haven't seen her since you all left eight hours ago." Rukia answered a concerned frown making its home above her brow. She looked to the two young men who were left with her, and both of them had similar expressions on their faces.

Soifon became worried. What had happened in the time she had been away? Yoruichi wouldn't just disappear on them… would she?

Kisuke was concerned as well. He knew that she dark skinned woman had been upset with Soifon when they left, but since he had gotten to know her on the train he knew she wasn't the type of person to just run off when there was so much hanging on the balance. He hopped her disappearance wasn't an ill omen. He then glanced down at his former student and noted her worry and sadness, but there was also an underlining flash of guilt beneath her other emotions.

'_She's blaming this on herself.'_ He thought with irritation, not at Soifon but at Yoruichi. He knew that Soifon had trouble with expressing herself, but he knew that her actions were never meant to offend anyone. He also knew that her loyalty to those who had earned it made it impossible for her to abandon them, or in Yoruichi's case place her in deliberate danger since she felt something more than just loyalty to her.

He placed an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm sure she's fine. She's probably off somewhere blowing off some steam. Plus this way we won't have to get her involved with SeeD business and keep her away from her father, but that's beside the point right now. Right now we really need to get into that estate and get our mission specs." He tried to get Soi to look on the bright side.

It was true that this way they wouldn't have to worry about keeping her hidden from her father, and she wouldn't be caught in the crossfire if things went bad.

"…Right, let's get this over with then." Soifon said quietly.

She knew that Urahara was right. It was better this way, and once they finished they could look for Yoruichi and Soifon could then apologize for the insensitive things she had said.

She gave the group the signal to move out. She looked out towards the bright city surrounded by eternal night her thoughts centering on Yoruichi. With one last sight she turned away and headed after the others. She would make it up to Yoruichi no matter what.

* * *

X-X

TBC


	16. Mission Brief

Chapter Sixteen: Mission Brief

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N- Ahh another chapter done and over with… sigh I'm sorry if it is repetitive in any of the scenes I tried not to do that… I also hope the talk between Soi and Ichigo isn't too out of place, please tell me if it is.

As always thank you all for reading, especially to all of you who take the time to review. I love you!

Oh oh and a special thank you to Aceina who's continued threats of badgers down my pants have pushed me to get this chapter out quickly!

* * *

Soifon and the other SeeD stood in front of a mahogany desk in Lord Shihōin's study. She couldn't help the little satisfied grin that adorned her face as she recalled the stunned look the guard had given them, not even that stupid mask could hide the falter in his step, when they had walked up to the gate alive and with stone in hand.

Her satisfaction, however, was short lived as she thought about Yoruichi and her MIA status. What if something had happened to the other woman while she was away for those eight hours? If something had happened to Yoruichi it would be all her fault. She should have taken her with them, she probably would have done better with that damn serpent then _she_ had. Soifon felt a bitter taste in her mouth as she recalled how easily she was defeated by it.

'_I'm the weak one.'_ She thought angrily but she was forced to stop thinking about what happened when the door to the study finally opened.

A tall man, with a commanding presence walked in. He was at least six feet tall with broad shoulders and muscular frame. He was as dark skinned as his daughter, but that's where the similarity between the two ended. Where Yoruichi had kind mischievous topaz colored eyes and soft silky violet tresses, her father had cold brown eyes and long midnight colored hair loosely tied with an expensive looking ornament at the base of his neck. He was adorned in fine silk garments consisting of loose black trousers, a close-fitting high-collared tunic of a rich burgundy color and leather shoes of the finest make.

He would have been a handsome man if not for the permanent scowl on his face. He almost looked like an older version of Byakuya, well his face did anyway.

Lord Shihōin proceeded to walk over to his desk where he stopped and turned to face them. His look said he was not impressed with them, which pissed Soifon off.

'_He needs to get that stick out of his ass.'_ Suzumebachi hissed as she watched the man look them over with a haughty stance. Soifon wholeheartedly agreed with her zanpaktou.

"So you are the ones that the Gardens have sent." His voice was arrogant, and Soifon knew he thought them as nothing but children. She wanted to show him how '_unimpressive'_ they really were by sticking Suzumebachi through his tiny little heart.

"Yes sir." She finally answered emotionlessly while standing to attention. She was proud to be able to keep her irritation out of her tone. Lord Shihōin fixed his gaze at her, and she felt an internal shiver race down her spine, but she didn't turn her eyes away. She refused to let this man intimidate her.

"So you are the leader of this group." He stated rather then asked, but Soifon still nodded never looking away. After a moment more Lord Shihōin turned away.

"We have much to discuss and very little time to do it… I had hoped that sending you into the forest would yield better results, but you all took too much time in retrieving the stone almost missing your allotted time. It makes me wonder if you're all able to complete such a serious mission." He said in his arrogant manner. Soifon felt her eye twitch at his insult and she knew her companions all felt irritation at the man.

'_No wonder his own daughter hates his guts… he has no respect for anyone. It makes me question what he really has planned for us.'_ Suzumebachi whispered.

"Be that as it may, Sir… we did complete our task within the allowed time. Now if you would please explain what it is you need of us? We are very busy, and have other clients to get back to." Soifon saidshe refused to let him get the better of them. She heard a few snickers behind her back signaling that her friends enjoyed her comeback.

"Ooh if looks could kill," Urahara whispered from her right a smirk on his face, "then you Soi-chan would be no more." He was right. Lord Shihōin looked like he wanted her to burst into flames his glare so intense she thought he was constipated.

She heard Suzumebachi laughing herself to death at the thought, but she had to keep up her stoic façade, even though she wanted to join her zanpaktou in her mirth.

"This mission takes priority over all others! Its successful completion could determine the fate of our world!" Lord Shihōin growled angrily his once arrogant posture gone and in its place stood indignation. Soifon was tempted to yawn just to annoy the man even more. Instead she just shrugged.

"All our orders have the same value, no mission is more important than the other." Soifon of course didn't mean that, but she was the one who chose which missions were most important to her, unless the higher ups at the Garden thought differently.

Lord Shihōin was livid. How dare that little girl stand there and mock him!

'_No matter, they will soon know their place.'_ He thought as he calmed down a bit. Soon everything would fall in place, and he would be one step closer to the top.

"…So be it, but at this moment it is this mission that is important. Now follow me and we will get started with the debriefing." He strode out of the room leaving the SeeD's to follow.

"Great job Soi-chan. You handled that very well." Kisuke said as he walked passed her with a smile and nod. The others all shared the same sentiment as they walked after the noble. She was the last one to leave the room, a small satisfied smile of her own adorned her face.

* * *

They walked out into the courtyard and to the opened gates to the city beyond. They got to the road where Lord Shihōin paused.

"As you know Las Noches has reached a decision to have 'peace talks' with all other nations." He said as he then continued walking passed the street, once on the other side he continued to walk across a public park and over a bridge with a small stream running under it. He did not pause when he spoke next.

"This night there will be a ceremony to celebrate the event." He passed through an old stone arch, which brought them to an empty road and on the other side was a tall building surrounded by a ten foot wall. It was hard to tell from their position, but it looked like the building was made of stone with a large balcony overlooking the street beyond. It was decorated with flags and at the front near the railing was a podium. Behind that was a large screen TV.

"This is the Presidential residence. The balcony is where the ceremony will start with a speech from Baraggan. As he finishes his speech, he and the President will load onto a float which will signal the start of the parade. From there the float will move them passed the Presidential residence to the City Square to the right. Then it will move from the square to the Noble district and then to the shopping district. Finally it will pass through the Gateway Arch so as to make it back to the Presidential residence. Of course if all goes according to plan, we won't have to worry about them getting back to the residence." Lord Shihōin moved to a spot near the residence.

"During the ceremony, you will split into two teams and get into position. The first team will make their way to the Gateway Arch, they will be code named Beta Team. Beta Team will make its way into the arch, and stand by at the gateway controls. The second team will stand by at the front of the Presidential residence and blend in with the crowd. That team will be known as Alpha Team. You will position yourselves here." He said as he pointed down to the spot he was at. He then turned and walked down the road to the left of the residence. Soifon and her group followed quietly.

"The arch is located down this road and is the last stop before the float makes it back to the residence." Lord Shihōin paused a few blocks down from the residence where a magnanimous arch stood carved out of ancient stone and marble, with gothic images crafted into it, and near the top on ledges made specifically for them gargoyles stood vigil.

"Here is where Beta team will stand by. There is a side utility door that will lead them to the gateway controls. Once the Hollow King's float passes through between the two gates, Beta team will operate the console and drop the gates leaving the King and those with him trapped." Lord Shihōin said he then pointed back to the Presidential residence.

"Once the parade begins Alpha team will pass through the open gates and head to the roof of the residence. Don't worry about being spotted; once the parade begins all eyes will be on the President and the Hollow King's float, so it should be easy to move about. Inside the residence just before the balcony is a room, in the room is a side hall with a hatch in it. This hatch will lead up into the clock tower where Alpha team will stand by. In the tower, which has been modified to look like a festive carousel, is the package that will be used to take care of the King. At exactly twenty hundred hours the tower will open up. That is also when the float will be directly under the arch. You will fulfill your contract then by delivering the package to the Hollow King." Lord Shihōin turned to the group and watched them to make sure they knew what they would have to do.

Soifon took in her surroundings with a critical eye, and she knew that Urahara and Hitsugaya were as well.

_'So at twenty hundred hours we will all need to be in place. Beta team who are to stand by at the arch will drop the gate; trap the float and those on it. While at the same time Alpha team will be lifted out of the roof on the carousel clock. From there we will have no obstructions between the shot and the targets… we will have to be quick or everything fails… this will be most troublesome. There's no way Ichigo will be quick enough to take all of them out himself.'_ Soifon thought as she continued to look between the two positions noting the distance and angles.

_'Hmm maybe there's a different agenda here Soifon'_ Suzumebachi said as she too observed everything with a critical eye and seeing what her master was seeing.

_'What do you mean Suzumebachi?'_ Soifon questioned.

_'I'm not quite sure… but I got a really bad feeling about this mission Soifon.'_

Soi didn't answer, but she felt the same way, something about Lord Shihōin seemed off.

"Hmm it does seem like you have some time before the ceremony begins; you are free to do as you please until that time. Get acquainted with the city know your surroundings just make sure to stay out of trouble." Lord Shihōin instructed. He turned away from the group and made his way back to his estate. Soifon scowled at his back.

_'How dare he treat us like children.'_

* * *

Soifon had left the others in search of Yoruichi. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened to her.

_'I should have allowed her to come with us…'_ She thought for the hundredth time as she walked down the market district ignoring the vendors peddling cheap goods at her in honor of the celebration that would be taking place in less than an hour.

_'I was supposed to keep my eyes on her, keep her safe.'_ She turned a corner that would lead her back to the estate. She was running out of time, and as much as she hated it she had a mission to complete. She would have to continue her search later.

* * *

Her return to the estate was quick; she had made her way back to Lord Shihōin office where her team was waiting to be split into two. She stood before them Lord Shihōin at her side, she internally shuddered at his close proximity, while her friends stood at attention.

"For this mission Alpha and Beta team will have three members each, which would leave us with one extra party member not on a team. Alpha team will consist of Me, Urahara, and Kurosaki" She took a deep breath, because she knew the next three names she called would anger a certain someone for not being placed on Beta team.

"As for Beta team I'll have Hitsugaya, who will take the role of captain, Renji and…Matsumoto." There was a hushed silence that fell over the room as they all processed what had been said. Rukia looked shocked at the announcement while both Renji and Ichigo looked like they were ready to blow up from how red their faces were.

"B-but captain…why" Rukia stuttered after shaking herself back to reality, "Why am I being kept from this mission! I am a part of your team, not Matsumoto!" Rukia yelled before realizing what she said. She turned to the blond and bowed.

"I meant no disrespect Matsumoto-san." She said in a quieter voice as she straightened up. Rangiku just waved it off she knew Rukia was just hurt at being left behind.

"…Rukia, what is your family name?" Soifon asked. Everyone, with the exception of Kisuke who had figured it out, stared at the petite captain like she had lost her mind.

She should know this, and she did but it seemed the young noble had forgotten.

"Rukia…this mission has us assassinating the President of a country. If it was discovered a noble house had anything to do with it…" Soifon trailed off hoping the young woman would understand.

"But Captain I was involved with the other mission against the President; how could this be any different than that?" Rukia shot back she didn't want to be left behind on this mission. She had seen the devastation brought onto District seventy-eight, and she had felt proud to know that she would be a part of the group that would help end its suffering by bringing the culprit who put the town in such a state to justice.

"Rukia…" Soifon began, not sure how to really start. She was saved from saying anymore though thanks to Kisuke, who stepped out of line to face the young noble.

"Kuchiki-san, that mission was different. There would have been no death involved," Soifon cringed; death had almost played its hand in taking Hitsugaya's life, but none of the others noticed. "And it would be easier for all of you to come away from it without being known. This mission however will put your entire family in danger should it be known a Kuchiki was involved." Rukia looked away from the blond haired man. It was true that these missions were a risk to her and her family, and she was sure that if they had know what their mission had entitled the first time she would not have been permitted to go. She felt a hand land on each of her shoulders, and when she looked up Renji and Ichigo where giving her encouraging smiles.

"It's ok to stay behind this onetime Rukia," Ichigo began while giving her shoulder a squeeze.

"Yeah, if shit hits the fan then you can come to our rescue." Renji laughed as he patted her back nearly knocking her to the floor. He stopped abruptly when he saw Soifon's glare. She didn't find that statement funny.

"All right then now that everything has been settled we should get going. Both teams know where to be. So get there in time and let's get this nightmare over with." Soifon finished and then turned away and walked out the door. Her teammates gave curt nodes to the others; Ichigo also threw in a small wave to Rukia, before following after their captain.

"Right let's get going team, we don't have much time before the parade begins, and with all those people crowding around the city, it will make getting to the arch difficult. Don't get separated," Hitsugaya looked directly at Matsumoto as he said this, "Move out!" He turned without another glance and disappeared through the door Matsumoto hot on his heels.

Renji paused at the door and quickly turned back to Rukia. He walked back over to her and bent to be face level with her.

"I know you would have done great on this mission, and I would have been honored to have you at my side." He whispered as he brought his arms around the petite woman in a warm hug. Rukia stood shocked at the uncharacteristic show of affection from Renji. He let go quickly and stood up straight before giving Rukia one last wink and walking out the door.

A slow goofy grin made its way onto Rukia's face as well as a pretty shade of red.

"_Oh my it seems to me that someone in this room is developing a bit of a crush."_ The soft spoken voice of Rukia's sword floated through her head. Rukia's moment of bliss was cut off as Sode no Shirayuki spoke to her.

"_W-what are you talking about? I am not developing anything for anyone!"_

"_Oh my dear, you need not hide it from me I understand, I'm not here to judge. I just thought it prudent to interrupt because the old man in the room with us gives me the chills, no pun intended, and I do not want you to be caught unawares… and Renji is a fine young man…"_ and just because she could Sode no Shirayuki decided to tease her master a bit more, _"But then again so is that young man Ichigo… decisions, decisions." _

Rukia just brushed off her swords teasing and turned her attention towards Lord Shihōin. His icy gaze was directed at her. A shiver made its way down her spine. She couldn't hold his gaze any longer and turned away.

"You may leave whenever you are ready. Good day to you and I wish your comrades the best of luck." He then turned and left Rukia alone in the cold empty room.

* * *

The three of Alpha team stood amongst the crowd being pushed and shoved by the hyperactive masses. Soifon looked up towards the balcony the speech would be taking place on in only a matter of minutes. A body slammed into her own causing her to stumble with a curse. She looked over her shoulder and caught sight of Urahara giving her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry Soi-chan the big guy behind me got a bit too excited and 'bumped' into me." He said as he pointed at a giant of a man, dressed in white, what else, while wearing the Las Noches mask even though his looked more festive then military.

Soifon just shook her head and turned back to the stage. She wondered if Yoruichi was somewhere in this crowd watching and waiting.

She took notice that Ichigo had a frown adorning his face, something she didn't consider to unusual since she had seen it plenty of times before on the young man; it was the look of uncertainty that bothered her.

"Kurosaki!" Ichigo jumped at the sudden use of his name, "Is something wrong you look troubled?" Soifon asked in a quieter voice trying to put him at ease. Ichigo didn't answer for a minute his gaze wondering the crowd. He finally sighed and turned to look at Soifon.

"Why didn't we question this mission Captain?" He asked hesitant.

Soifon stood a bit stiffer at the question.

_"Why didn't you Soi…"_ Suzumebachi asked as well.

_"We…we are soldiers we're not supposed to question just follow orders…but I do wish I could question this one."_

"Why do you care Kurosaki… you haven't said anything about it before?" Soifon turned away from the young man her gaze landing on Urahara who had a pondering look of his own.

"But Captain Fon…all these people here came to see someone they love and respect. What right do we have to take that away? It seems wrong to me."Ichigo asked with conviction.

"Right…or wrong are not what separate us from our enemies Kurosaki." Soifon said softly, her two companions drawing closer to listen. "It's our different standpoints, our perspectives that separate us." Ichigo made a sound that suggested he was about to interrupt but Kisuke placed a hand over his mouth. He was curious.

"There is no such thing as good vs. evil Kurosaki, just two sides that blame one another for the world's problems and holding two different views. That's why we exist. We don't have those views. We as SeeD are not allowed to. We just exist to tip the scale in the favor of the ones that pay the most… maybe we are the evil of the world for that…or maybe we're the heroes?" Soifon let out a bitter laugh at that.

"Just remember one thing Kurosaki, just because you see these people celebrating and having a great time. Remember there are several million other people stuck in small villages and towns all over Las Noches, territories cold hungry and suffering under this country's dictatorship." She turned back to look at Ichigo with an unwavering gaze.

"Maybe we are evil Kurosaki…but so are the ones who call the shots here. It's just a matter of being on the side of the lesser evil." Ichigo looked torn for a moment before nodding his understanding. Kisuke felt the movement and let go of his mouth.

"I-I'm sorry for saying anything Captain." Ichigo felt the need to apologize. Soifon just shook her head and gave him a small smile.

"Nothing to be sorry about Kurosaki, but I expect you to take the shot without hesitation. Will you be able to do that?" She asked, and she didn't have to wait long for an answer.

"Of course Captain Fon, you can count on me." He said with a grin and thumbs up. Soifon and Urahara shared a look and nod, they knew they could.

The lights dimmed around them while those over the stage brightened and the large TV screens came to life. Several figures walked up to the podium. At the forefront was the President of Las Noches Coyote Starrk. Following after him was Baraggan, who was flanked by the traitors Aizen, Gin, and Tousen. They stopped before the podium facing the crowd the hundreds of faces down below cheering louder at their sight. Starrk turned to the side and motioned Baraggan to the microphone. The old man stepped forward and faced the masses.

"Today a new era has begun," Baraggan's powerful voice range through the crowd bringing with it a hush, "It is this day that we will bring a new order to the world… new order and peace." He chuckled at the last part the wrinkles one his face more prominent as his lips quirked up.

"To start this new era, my subordinates and I wish to bring out a conspirator who wishes to stop us and our goal…" Soifon looked to her friends with an uneasy expression at Baraggan's words. He then pointed to a darkened area on the ground floor. The lights went up showing off a grandiose float. It was long and wide, with a flat platform covered in golden material. In the center was a raised dais with a throne at the top covered in black silks used for a canopy over it. And behind it was a crucifix with a figure tied to it.

"N-" Soifon's mouth was covered by Urahara before she could shout out and give their location away. She struggled to get free from his grasp and over to the one hung up like some sort of sick decoration.

"Meet the leader of the resistance group known as The Black Cats. She and her comrades have been a thorn in our sides for many years and has caused us all misery, and tonight at the end of our celebration she will be removed from the world like the scum that she is!" A cheer went up at his proclamation, which only caused Soifon to struggle harder in Urahara's steel grip. She had to save Yoruichi. She swore that she would make things right with the other woman.

_'It's my entire fault' _she thought in despair, _'I should have let her join us! Instead I left her to her death!'_ Her struggles stopped. She couldn't take her eyes off Yoruichi's unmoving form.

"Soifon," Urahara whispered into her ear, "We still have a chance at saving her. She's not hurt…yet, but we'll have to be quick and we need to wait for the right time!" He said harshly even though he wished he didn't have to take such a tone with his former student. He turned her to face him and gave her shoulders a shake.

"Did you hear me Soifon! We still have time!" Her dazed look faded as she took in what Urahara had said. He was right they still had time, and there would be no hesitation on her part. She would kill them all for laying a finger on Yoruichi.

Her eyes hardened and turned cold at the thought. She twisted in his hold to look back at the float noticing that Starrk Baraggan and Aizen had made their way to it and were now standing atop of it. All of them, except for Starrk, were wearing smug grins.

The Parade started as the gate opened and acrobats and dancers, dressed in tribal wear, shuffled out in a choreographed manner to drums flutes sting instruments and deep voices singing. Following after the dancers was the float. Aizen and Starrk at the bottom of the dais waving over the crowd in a bored manner with Baraggan sitting at the top his head laying atop his closed hand. Behind them all on the crucifix was Yoruichi her form slumped in defeat, but Soifon could now see that she was indeed well and awake. Yoruichi turned her head towards them. Her eyes locking with Soifon's, and the look of defeat disappeared as they came alive with hope and a small smile making its way across her face. Soifon too smiled back reassuringly. They kept their gaze locked until it was impossible for Yoruichi to keep it any longer. Soifon's smile dropped. She briskly turned to the gates.

"It's time." She growled as she swiftly made her way over to the open gates. Kisuke grabbed Ichigo by the arm and led him after their retreating captain.

* * *

X-X


	17. Mission Impossible

Chapter Seventeen: Mission Impossible

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N

* * *

_In the shadowy alleys of Las Noches eternally dark skies stood a figure cloaked in black watching the hustle and bustle of the citizens of the city prepare for the '_special_' night._

_Yoruichi walked out from the alley onto the busy streets of Las Noches' market district. She stopped a few times to look at a few knick-knacks the street vendors were selling, taking off her hood when it became to troublesome for her. She didn't care if people saw her, since she chose to no longer be a part of the coupe that was to take place in only a few hours. So what if she was acting a bit childish._

'You know she didn't mean to keep you from getting to the President. Right?' _Her rational side spoke up. In response to Yoruichi's morbid attitude _

'She was just doing her job, you know helping you complete your nearly impossible goal of freeing District seventy-eight and keeping you safe. Why would you expect her to take you along on a potentially deadly trip into Menos Grande forest when she does not know what you are capable of? You didn't exactly show off your fighting prowess against that fake on the train.' _Her annoyingly right inner voice pointed out smugly._

_Damned voice had to be right. She had been acting immaturely but it had felt like Soi had been insulting her at the time._

_Great now she felt guilty._

_She would have to apologize once she got back to the estate, and speaking of getting back she would have to hurry if she had any hope of making it back before the others headed out. She turned and raced down the busy street dodging the odd group here and there. She spotted an empty side road and turned toward it, a shortcut to her house, and made her way to the crossroad on the other side._

_

* * *

__Yoruichi halted in her tracks as she spotted a silhouette just a few paces ahead of her._

"well, well, well, if it isn't the infamous Yoruichi of the Black Cats."_ The darkened figure walked under a street lamp illuminating his features._

_He was a tall man with an angular face cold blue eyes and hair that matched. He had a punk rocker look going for him, Billy Idle like, and like all Las Noches soldiers he was garbed in white with a skull mask, which covered only half his jaw line. His jacket was opened with no shirt underneath leaving his sculptured chest bare for all to see. Not even the scar running from his collar to his navel took away from his handsomeness._

"I've heard so much about you."_ The blue haired man purred, a feral smirk on his face as he began to advance his way over toward the dark haired beauty._

"Well you may have heard of me, but I've never heard of you and I really don't want to."_ Yoruichi said before booking it back the way she came from, leaving the man in her dust._

_He stared after her retreating back stunned until he finally realized what had happened._

"Oh that bitch."_ He growled. His pocket then let out a cheery little jingle. He reached into his white jacket and pulled out a sleek looking phone. He placed the reciver to his ear his gaze fixed on the empty road Yoruichi had sprinted down._

"…What"_ He glowered._

"You failed Grimmjow, and now I have to finish what you couldn't even begin."_ There was a click and the phone went dead. Grimmjow cursed under his breath and pocketed his phone._

_

* * *

__Yoruichi turned down another road which opened out into the Noble district. She smiled as she saw her father's estate at the other end of the street, and there at the gate about to walk through was Soifon. Yoruichi was about to call out to her, but felt a sharp sting to the back of her neck. She brought her hand up to where the pain was located and felt around until her fingers, which were numb, closed around a small solid object and pulled it out. Her vision blurred as she beheld the tranquilizer in her grasp._

"Crap"

_She fell to her knees, her head landing on the hard pavement right after. The last thing she saw before falling into was a pair of eerie green eyes with tattoos of the same color running down a pale face. _

_

* * *

_

_When Yoruichi woke up she wasn't in warm comfortable room at the Black Cats hideout like she had hoped she was. Her head was aching and so were her arms, and damn if she didn't have pins and needles in her feet._

_Yoruichi's eyes snapped open as her facilities returned to her and she became more aware of her surroundings._

_Her arms were held high above her head tied with a thick rope and hung over a grappling hook suspended to the ceiling so that her feet were barely touching the floor, her arms holding her full weight._

_She looked up and waited for her vision to adjust to the darkness that was all around her. She could make out dark walls and the place smelled musty, behind her she could vaguely see a barred wooden door. Oh and a single ceiling light which was the only source of the barely there light, and it would give the occasional flicker._

_Footsteps sounded from behind her. There was a momentary pause and then a creaking sound signaling the opening of the door, the footsteps started up again bringing her unknown abductors closer. Her eyes widened slightly as her assailants stood before her, and though she would never admit it out loud she was afraid, because there standing before her were two of her worst fears._

_Baraggan and Starrk with a third member who she recognized as the man Soifon and her friends identified as Aizen._

"So this is the one?"_ Starrk asked with a yawn._

"Yes she has the key."_ Aizen spoke up and walked to the forefront. Yoruichi was surprised to witness both Las Noches leaders bow their heads to Aizen in submission._

Hello Yoruichi Shihōin."_ Aizen greeted with false politeness. Yoruichi's eyes grew wide in shock._

"How-"

"How do I know who you are."_ Aizen interrupted with a cold smile._

"I know quite a bit about you, well not just you, I know a lot about your little friends Soifon and Urahara," _there was hatred in Aizen's voice when Urahara was mentioned,_ "but that for another day, for you see it's not what I know about you that's important. It's what you have in your possession that matters. Now hold still and this will be painless."_ Aizen strood over to the prone woman and stopped. He reached up to Yoruichi's orange jacket and dipped his hand in between it. Yoruichi gave a shudder in disgust, but it quickly turned to anger as he started to remove it because grasped in his disturbingly smooth looking hand was her diamond pendent._

"The key to my godhood."_ Aizen whispered in awe. He gave the thin chain around Yoruichi's neck a yank causing is to snap. He turned back to his two subordinates with a wicked grin._

"After five-hundred years, I finally have it. The power to become a god is close now, but there is still only one thing that stands in my way."_ Aizen started to walk away into the darkness, but not before issuing a new order to his subordinates._

"Take our dear rebel princess up to the festivities. There we will offer her as bait to our hero's… once they come to her rescue, that's when we will crush them. Yes they will all die this night… even _him_."

_Yoruichi felt a sharp knock to the back of her head before falling into unconsciousness for the second time that night._

* * *

Yoruichi awoke to a loud roaring in her ears. She opened her eyes and quickly closed them again when bright lights flashed before her. She took a moment to regain her bearings and then opened her eyes again. Though she wished that she hadn't as she saw the massive crowd just beyond the opened gates.

Her arms hurt as well as her head, but she noticed that she wasn't hanging from a ceiling and there was a bit of support around her legs in the form of rope tied tightly around them. Yoruichi then slumped in defeat as she remembered what had happened. She watched helplessly as Aizen and his subordinates climbed aboard the float. After they had settled there was a small tug and off it went meandering down the road behind several rows of strangely garbed dancers.

_'Damn it how do I get _out_ of this mess… more importantly how do I warn the others that this is a trap without giving them away.'_

As she pondered a way on how to escape the clutches of her enemy her eyes had happened to wander out into a certain section of the crowd. There she spotted three figures in white cloaks two tall males and a female, who was struggling in the taller males grip. She knew who they were instantly and felt relief wash over her. She smiled as she caught Soifon's gaze trying to reassure the younger woman that she was fine. Yoruichi then tried to give her some sort of signal that Aizen and the others were using her as bait, but the float had moved to far ahead and she lost sight of the other woman.

_'Please don't do anything reckless Little Bee'_ Yoruichi prayed as she moved farther and farther away from the small group.

* * *

"Move out we have to get into that building quick." Soifon gave out the order before leading the her team towards the opened gate, which as Lord Shihōin had said was unprotected, they passed by without any trouble and made their way into the building using a side entrance. They moved up two flights of stairs, and down a dark hall which had a large dark stained double door on the other end. It was through those doors that the group would be able to get to the roof.

The doors were heave as the team opened them, and on the other side was a grandiose room which is covered from top to bottom in white marble with silk white sheets coming down from marble pillars to act as drapes. On the end of the room facing the doors are huge bay windows that lead out onto the balcony which only a few moment ago held their enemies. To the right of the team, hidden behind a silky drape was the hall that would lead them up to the clock tower.

They reached the clock tower with no trouble and after a moment of looking around found the rifle that Ichigo would be using. They took up their positions around the ornaments.

"Now we wait." Soifon said with a sigh.

"…Let's hope everything goes according to plan, but I'm highly doubtful that will happen." Kisuke responded as he looked over towards his pupil.

"So you had the same feeling huh?" Soifon asked. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned into one of the statue horses.

"Well considering what they're asking of us… yes I think it will be impossible to take out both Las Noches leaders." Kisuke said with a frown. "I think they want us to attack head-on."

"…and to make sure we didn't chicken out they took a hostage." Soifon said as she too caught on to what was happening.

"So if they already know what's going to happen," Ichigo began, "That means that this entire thing was a setup, and Lord Shihōin was in on the whole thing!" Ichigo exclaimed angrily. "But why put his child in danger like that? There would be no guaranty that we would come to her rescue."

"A greedy man will do anything to gain power… even sacrifice his own flesh and blood to meet those goals." Kisuke answered. Soifon's arms tightened around her chest as the guilt rose. Kisuke walked over to his distraught student and put his hand on top of her hair giving it a ruffle.

"Worry not fair knight for we shall save the princess, and since we know what's going on we can for our own counterstrike." Kisuke then told his two comrades what he had in mind.

* * *

It was ten till when Hitsugaya's cell phone vibrated in his pants pocket. It brought the young man out of his stupor as he watched the parade make its way slowly towards his group. He was bored out of his mind, and he knew his two companions felt the same.

So when the phone rang he didn't hesitate to answer.

"Yes?"

"Hitsugaya there's going to be a slight change to our plan." Soifon's voice drifted over the receiver. Hitsugaya looked confused for a moment before asking why.

"We've come to the conclusion that our noble benefactor in this mission is double crossing us. This entire thing was a set up, and now they have Yoruichi hostage. Soifon glowered as she remembered the image of the dark skinned beauty tied and hung up like some sick trophy.

"Tell Renji and Matsumoto that once they have the gates closed you're all to make your way out of the arch, since there will be no doubt that the Las Noches army will be there in no time. You will make your way out of the city toward District seventy-eight and there we will meet up at the Black Cats base. Is that understood?"

"But Soifon what are you going to do? We can't just leave you and the others to the wolves! We're soldiers too we can fight!" Hitsugaya said angrily. He heard Soifon sigh on the other end of the line.

"Don't worry Toshiro we have it all covered, and we need you out of harm's way just in case things don't go according to plan. You're our back up if we're caught. Got it?"

Hitsugaya let out a puff of air in frustration, but conceded the point to his friend.

"Fine but don't get caught and then you can explain in full detail what the hell happened… Hitsugaya out." He snapped his phone shut. He then turned to the other two stuck in the arch with him and explained the change and what they were to do after.

"So they just want us to run away when things get tuff?" Renji asked in annoyance. "That's Bull."

"Yes it is, but we will do as told." Hitsugaya said with a scowl.

"Hey boys I don't mean to interrupt but the float's about to cross under us in like a minute, so get ready to do your jobs ok." Matsumoto said sassily. Both young men looked away from each other and folded their arms over their chest with a huff.

"Aw how cute," Matsumoto gushed sarcastically, "But you both still need to get ready they're going through the arch in five…four…" Hitsugaya raced over to the valve that controlled the back gate. Renji followed suite to the valve that controlled the front.

"Three… two… NOW! Close the gates!" Matsumoto shouted as she saw the back of the float pass through the back gate.

With a twist of the valves the gates came crashing down.

There were screams of terror as the citizens of Las Noches scrambled away from the gates, some of those screams turned to pain as people started to trample over one another to get away.

In all the commotion no one heard the loud bang of a rifle go off.

* * *

"Now Kurosaki!" Soifon shouted as she spotted the gates crashing down. There was no hesitation as Ichigo aimed and pulled the trigger. The hot piece of copper flew at high speeds toward its first intended target. The Hollow King.

Just as the bullet was about to hit home a strange black cloud arose from around Baraggan stopping it in its tracks. Then the strange cloud began to eat away at the metal turning it to dust. The cloud moved toward the withered old man and started to shroud him in blackness. When the dust cleared Baraggan was replaced by death himself.

"Crap… I guess we were right. Ichigo remember what you have to do!" Soifon jumped down the tower after those words landing in a crouch on the balcony below. She rose up and took a running leap over the rail of the balcony and into the fleeing crowds below. From there the was a short scuffle with two guards and hijacking of a sleek loving sports car.

She drove to the Arch at high speeds barely swerving out of the way of the citizens who were causing chaos on the streets as they tried to get to safety.

Finally she reached her destination. Soifon jumped out of the car and ran through the gaps of the arch. Then it was only a quick leap up and she was facing off against three of the deadliest men around.

_'How do you get yourself into these types of situations huh?'_ Suzumebachi asked as she got a good look at what the old man had transformed into. Soifon ignored her sword's words and just unsheathed her. She turned her gaze quickly up to Yoruichi who was looking at the skeletal man in alarm. Soifon turned back to her opponents.

"Ok then who's first?" she asked with false bravado. Baraggan stepped forward.

_'Of course.'_ Both Soifon and Suzumebachi groaned in union.

"Sting all enemies to death Suzumebachi!" In an instant Soifon's forearm was covered in Suzumebachi's signature gold and black gauntlet with a stinger on her middle finger.

"Do you truly think such a pitiful Zanpakuto will defeat me child?" Baraggan asked with a hiss. Soifon looked down at her arm where Suzumebachi rested and gave it a small smile.

"She hasn't failed me yet, and I have no doubt this time will be any different." With those words Soifon charged at her adversary intent on finishing this fight quickly. She drew her arm back preparing her first strike when all of a sudden Baraggan vanished from her view.

"Wh-" She felt a heavy weight land on her left shoulder and Baraggan's words.

"Do not think for a moment a child can defeat death." Soifon jumped away from the Hollow King, but not before noticing a sharp pain radiating from where he had touched her. She could barely move it without pain jumping up and down her now broken limb.

"Do you see it now child. My power is unmatched; with a single touch I can cause all your bones to grow old and frail causing your body to break as it tries to keep up with you." Again the man resembling death disappeared from Soifon's sight only to come stand a hairsbreadth away from her face, his boney hand reaching out to touch her cheek. With wide frightened eyes Soifon flash stepped away.

She then tried to quickly come around him and attacked from behind, but that failed as well as the strange black cloud that had stopped and destroyed the bullet came racing at her. She was again forced to retreat, but this time she had to continuously move since it seemed the cloud was intent on catching her in its deathly grip.

_'Damn it… how much longer is that idiot going to take.'_ Soifon jumped up and over the cloud barely dodging it. She discreetly looked over towards the throne, she noticed that both Aizen and Starrk were busy watching her fight to notice the shadow that had landed on top of the cross holding Yoruichi.

Urahara worked quickly to get Yoruichi untied. He could see that the man Soifon was fighting was no mortal and that sooner or later he would get the upper hand since his student could not get any closer to him.

"Why couldn't they have used regular old rope?" Kisuke groaned in frustration as he tried to pick the last lock to Yoruichi's shackles.

"They wouldn't be evil if they did." Yoruichi tried joking as she watched the fight taking place. "And hurry Soi-chan almost didn't dodge that attack. I think she's hurt as well." Yoruichi said with a gasp when she saw the deadly miasma come dangerously close to closing up around her Little Bee.

Urahara gave a short cheer when he finally got the lock undone. He and Yoruichi jumped down from the crucifix about ready to signal to Soifon to begin her retreat. Yoruichi watched with growing horror as a small strand of the black miasma brushed the very tip of Soifon's finger.

There was quiet for just a moment which was rapidly replaced with a shrill scream of agony as Soifon's left arm began to disintegrate into nothing but bone starting at the tip where the miasma had touched.

"SOIFON!" both Yoruichi and Urahara shouted in fear. They rushed to her side.

"Urahara cut it off!" Soifon shouted in panic as she watched the miasma eat away her forearm and heading up to her shoulder.

Without a second thought Kisuke brought out his Benihime up over his head. Soifon lifted her arm to the side. There was a flash of steel and a thump a second later as Soifon's disintegrating arm fell to the floor.

Soifon slumped into Yoruichi's waiting arms as she nearly past out due to the pain of severing her arm. Yoruichi didn't hesitate in removing the white sash, used as a belt by her, and tying it around the stump that used to be Soi's arm as a tourniquet. She recoiled a bit at the sight of the blood. No not at the sight of blood, she had seen that plenty of times before in her line of work. It was that it was Soifon's blood that made her recoil. She was in this state because of her.

She held Soifon's paler then normal form to her tightly when she heard clapping coming from the raised dais.

"Bravo, bravo on putting on such a wonderful show for my friends and I." Aizen stopped his clapping as he stepped down the steps of the dais to stand level with the three situated near the middle of the float. Taking note of how Urahara stood protectively over the two women while glaring death at him.

"Why are you doing this Aizen? What do you hope you accomplish with your betrayal!" Kisuke growled in rage. Aizen didn't answer instead he just lifted up his hand, which had Yoruichi's pendent hanging from it. Kisuke's eyes grew large with terror as he watched Aizen then place the diamond into his coat pocket.

"Do you know now why I did it all Urahara Kisuke…? I don't need to remind you of what you did to me twenty years ago do I." Aizen grinned at the other man's stunned silence. His grin grew as he watched Starrk appear behind the three taking aim with his weapon.

"No I don't need to remind you of anything, but I will let you know this… I win."

There was a bang as Starrk's gun went off.

* * *

Soifon felt like she was dying with the amount of pain she was in. She could barely move without triggering a spasm to run up and down her body. The only upside to any of this was that they had freed Yoruichi, and she was currently holding Soifon in her arms. The warmth seeping from Yoruichi's body helped to ease some of Soifon's pain. She noticed that Urahara was in front of them trying to figure out Aizen's motives.

_'That's easy… he's a freaking psychopath.'_

Both Urahara and Yoruichi were too busy listening to Aizen about 'knowing who he is' that they weren't paying too much attention to the other two on the float with them. She watched as Baraggan shifted back into human form, he looked a bit drained, and walk away from the group. Starrk on the other hand had used the distraction, and shadows to creep up behind the three leaving their backs exposed to the gun he had pulled out of his coat, white with gray fur, and took aim at Urahara's unprotected back.

She wanted to shout out a warning to her instructor but her voice was raw from screaming earlier, but if she could gather enough strength.

_'You enjoy getting hurt don't you?'_ Suzumebachi growled a second before Starrk's revolver went off. Though Soifon had jumped out of Yoruichi's stunned hold a split second before that. She shoved Urahara down, but it still wasn't enough time to get out of harm's way. The bullet ended up lodged in the upper right portion of her back. She fell to the ground boneless and unconscious.

Starrk cursed at his miss and re-aimed but was hindered by a furious rebel princess hell bent on sending him there. He fired a few shots at her, but she would disappear at the last second only to reappear somewhere else each time getting a bit closer until she was able to deliver a devastating upper cut that she was sure shattered the President's jaw line. Starrk went down hard K.O-ed. Yoruichi went in for the finishing blow, but was stopped when Urahara jumped onto her back knocking them both down. She wanted to yell at him for stopping her, but the black beam that flew over them, where her head had bee, stopped her.

"As much as I would enjoy watching Starrk's lazy ass get handed to him… I still need him for other matters." Aizen drawled as he prepared another high powered Kido spell.

"We have to run, or Aizen will kill us both!" Kisuke pulled Yoruichi up to her feet and began to make a mad dash for the gates.

"Wait! We can't just leave Soifon!" Yoruichi shouted as she tried to make her way back over to Soi's unconscious figure.

"We can't save her now!" Urahara shouted back. He took Yoruichi and threw her over his shoulder, and though it greatly pained him to do it, Urahara ran away. He passed the gate and into the streets now full of guards who spotted him and began to march toward him and his shouting package.

There was a screeching sound and screams of pain as soldiers were thrown up into the air by a military vehicle speeding down the road racing towards Urahara, before it plowed head on into the blond it quickly screeched to the side coming to a stop. The passenger seat door flew open and Rukia popped out.

"Hurry we have to get out of here!" She ordered as she threw open the door to the back seat. Kisuke shoved Yoruichi in first and then jumped in himself.

"Drive!" Rukia shouted as she hopped back into her own seat.

"Wait! Where's the captain!" Ichigo asked worried from the driver's seat. Yoruichi sent daggers toward Urahara before replying.

"We couldn't get to her… she's been captured." There was a moment of stunned silence before Urahara gave them the order to retreat a scowl on his face as he contemplated what to do now that he knew who Aizen truly was.

Ichigo wanted to go back, but Urahara pulled rank. With no way of getting Soifon back the group drove off leaving there captain to her fate.

* * *

"Shall we give chase Lord Aizen?" A voice from the shadows asked.

"…No not when we have something they want." Aizen said as he looked down at the young woman laying prone before his feet.

"It's strange to think that he would come for you before the key, but his weakness will be my gain." He ordered a few of his men to take Soifon into custody before walking away to plan his next move.

He would have her placed in Hucho Mundo prison.

* * *

Auug another chapter finished after a long hiatus. Anyway this is a late Christmas present lol. Oh and let's not forget New Years is just around the corner! I was going to post this then but I finished early. So please leave a review and tell me how it was, or you could leave constructive criticism since I'm sure I need it… a lot.

Oh and on a last note.

Happy birthdays to both Urahara and Yoruichi! 3


	18. Dreams Confusion

Chapter Eighteen: Dreams Confusion

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N-

So here we go the eighteenth chapter… I've actually impressed myself for coming this far lol. Anyway a little warning with this chapter… it can get kind of confusing, sorry about that, Just remember that Sui is observing events from the outside. Hopefully it isn't as bad as I'm making it out to be just know that any time Suì-Fēng's name is used that when she is thinking or feeling something…

And as you can see I too have gone from Soifon to Suì-Fēng (sorry Aceina but I got to laze about switching it back). Don't know how I feel about the change… might not last.

So yeah after this chapter is the rescue and reunion between Suì-Fēng and Yoruichi…

* * *

_Shaolin I would like you to meet an old acquaintance of mine." A petite woman with long silky dark hair and silver eyes said to her young daughter as she was ushered forth before the stranger._

'Mother?'

_"Who is it mama?" Four year old Shaolin asked as she looked up at the tall stranger._

_"This is…" the stranger's name became a jumbled mess that could not be understood by Suì-Fēng. In fact Suì-Fēng_ _could not even make out who the person was as they too were shrouded in a strange shadow that only she seemed to be able to notice. Her mother turned to look back at the shadow and began to speak, but again Suì-Fēng_ _could not understand a word of it._

'What is going on here? Am I dead?'

_There was a flash and Suì-Fēng_ _found herself in front of a house, not her own, and alone her mother and the stranger had disappeared along with the modest sized living room she had been in. The house was large and surrounded by a beautiful well kept garden._

_Young Shaolin heard a sudden noise behind her. She turned around to investigate only to fall to her bottom as a blurred shadow lunched itself into her._

_"Shaolin you came!" The excited voice on top of her exclaimed._

'What's going on now? Why is this happening!'

_Why could she not remember this person's face, even though they felt so familiar to her? The blurred figure of the girl got off of her and offered Shaolin a hand up._

_"Come on lets go see the kitty we saved! Father said I could keep it isn't that great!" The blurred girl dragged Shaolin up to the house._

_In another flash Suì-Fēng found her younger self inside the large home of the blur. In what she assumed was the other girl's room to be precise. _

_The blurred girl was nowhere to be found, but the opening and closing of a door found Shaolin turning to face the way the sound came from, to her side looking at the blur who was holding something small in her arms. Shaolin walked over to the unidentifiable partner who had walked over to a large bed with white silk sheets. Once there the blur set down what she was holding and Suì-Fēng_ _was surprised to see it was a small black kitten, the one she had tried to save from the tree. Suì-Fēng_ _winced as she remembered it scratching her and causing her to fall off and almost break every bone in her body. She now remembered it had only been luck that she had dropped into a large stack of fallen leaves that somewhat cushioned her fall and saving her life._

_The blur turned to Shaolin and smiled, though Suì-Fēng_ _was not sure how she knew that._

_"What should we name him?" The blur asked as she stroked the kitten's downy fur._

_"How about Kijuu, since you know he tried to kill me… the little monster." Shaolin hissed while glaring at the small ball of fluff. She was surprised when it glared right back at her and flexed small, very sharp, claws at her. Shaolin took a step back in caution._

'Evil beast'

_"No that's no good…" The blur said ignoring Shaolin's unease._

_"Let's see… how about we name him _Noir_?" _

'Wait Noir… Yoruichi?'

_The blurred image took on a sharper image, and Suì-Fēng_ _realized it really was Yoruichi who stood next to her petting the black cat. Albeit she was a much younger version of the woman she knew but it was her._

'But how… why am I just remembering all of this?'

_The world around her flashed once again._

_This time Suì-Fēng_ _found herself in a scene from a nightmare. Her younger self stood in the center of a burning town square with bodies all around her butchered like cattle. _

'What the hell is going on!'

_Shaolin's small body trembled in fear and tears streamed down her cheeks, which left Suì-Fēng_ _confused as she could not recall what had her so scared._

_Suì-Fēng_ _heard the footsteps slowly meandering towards her younger self down the blood stained cobble road coming closer._

_A sharp intake of air from the young Shaolin became stuck in her lungs as she witnessed a shadow leap over the fire blocking its path._

_When the figure landed all she saw was white with pitch black eyes. Shaolin turned and ran, an all consuming fear chilling her soul._

_She tripped over a faceless man, literally the face had been burned beyond recognition, not even twenty yards from the monster scrapping both her hands and knees. She tried to get back to her feet only to have a foot slam into her back causing her entire front to meet with the old unforgiving ground._

_"Where is it?" The monster above her questioned in a deep bone chilling voice._

_Shaolin couldn't answer… she couldn't breathe._

'What was where?'_ She wanted to ask angrily. What was the beast looking for that was so important enough that it had to massacre an entire town?_

_"You will answer me child or you will die a most painful death." It growled as It dug Its foot deeper into Shaolin's back. Shaolin let out a squeak of pain, the beast was crushing her._

_When she thought she was going to pass out due to lack of oxygen the pressure on her back disappeared._

_"Ah… I see you've finally decided to come out and face me." The beast chuckled in amusement to the figure that now stood over Shaolin in a protective manner. Suì-Fēng tried to get a good look at him, but no matter how hard she tried Suì-Fēng could not see what her savior looked like._

_In an instant her protector and the beast leapt towards one another blades raised and ready to strike._

_There was another flash_

_Shaolin was cradled in the strong arms as her protector carried her away from the ashes of what had once been her home. She still could not make out who he was, but he was warm and she felt safe. _

_The warmth lulled her to sleep._

_When next she awoke Shaolin was in Seireitei's infirmary. That was the first time she met her annoying instructor. He had been seated next to her bed when she woke up. He had stood up when he noticed her eyes flutter open and asked if she was ok. He had then introduced himself. He explained that he had found her outside the school unconscious and covered in soot. He brought her to Unohana when he couldn't get her to wake up. _

_"I've been by everyday to check up on you." He said then he had given her a look that she couldn't figure out. _

_She just figured it was pity… She hated that look._

_There was a third flash. This one was different though._

_The memory or dream she was now in had nothing to do with her, but instead had everything to do with a certain annoyance that popped up whenever he and his friends chose._

* * *

A woman with light brown hair chocolate colored eyes and a lovely smile made her way into a small white room that was home to one Isshin Kurosaki for the better part of two weeks now.

Isshin, his back propped up by several pillows, was laying on a white hospital bed picking at his bandages. He looked away from the bandages wrapped around his arm when he heard the petite woman walk in.

"Hello Kurosaki-san how are you feeling today?" The pleasant looking woman asked her smile never wavering as she spoke.

"Oh um… I'm doing well Urahara-sensei." Isshin said with a dark blush covering his cheeks.

_'…WHAT! Urahara? What the hell is going on now? Why can't these damn dreams make any sense!'_

"That's good news! Now then let me check that temperature of yours and see if that nasty high fever is gone for good." The woman, Urahara-sensei, said as she made her way over to Isshin. She placed a smooth hand over his brow and made a 'hmm' sound. Isshin looked like he was in Heaven his body relaxing as the doctor moved her hand down to his cheek.

"Well it looks like your fever has finally gone you'll be able to leave very soon now." Urahara-sensei said while removing her hand from his cheek.

_'Oh my… she's actually sad to have him leave… what is wrong with everyone?'_

"W-well that's great… I guess and what about my friends?" Isshin asked though he looked disappointed when Urahara-sensei broke contact with him.

"Your friends are doing well; though it seems poor Ukitake-san has developed a severe case of tuberculosis we are monitoring him to make sure it does not progress any farther." Urahara-sensei gave Isshin an encouraging smile. "As for Ishada-san, well let's just say it's a miracle he's stayed in bed this long." She finished saying with a laugh. Isshin smiled happy to know that his friends would be ok. There was an awkward moment of silence before Isshin coughed into his hand and began speaking.

"So Urahara-sensei… I was wondering if you would… um if you would like to…" Isshin's blush took on a whole new shade of red as he babbled

_'I'm dead aren't I? I must be since I'm stuck in this hell!'_

"Yes Kurosaki-san what is it?" Urahara asked softly offering the blushing man an encouraging smile.

_'Please wake me from this dream! I have better things to do with my life at the moment!'_

"Ok here goes!" Isshin said as he sat up a bit straighter, "Urahara-sensei would you go out to dinner with me?" Isshin asked in a rush.

There was a moment's pause where Isshin thought he was going to be rejected.

"Oh Kurosaki-san," Isshin cringed at what he thought was pity in the beautiful woman's tone, "I would very much like to have dinner with you." Urahara-sensei said with a cheerful smile and a clap of her hands.

"Oh and Kurosaki-san please call me Masaki."

"Then I would like you to call me Isshin."

_'You both can call me sick!'_

* * *

Isshin had been discharged from the hospital the day before. He had spent a few hours with Ishada and Ukitake catching up and comparing notes on how they had ended up in Karakura.

It had been Ishada who filled them in.

"After we 'jumped'," Ishada glared at Isshin, "off that cliff you two fainted and I was forced to keep you afloat. It was lucky for us that those ships we had seen weren't empty and came to our rescue… or take us as prisoners since they were full of Karakura soldiers."

Isshin had remembered waking up in the hospital delirious and he instantly recalled that was when he first fell in love with the kind and caring doctor who had taken great care of him.

He had left his friends a little after that and made his way around the city looking for a place to stay. He had found a small apartment a few miles away from the hospital. Isshin had then looked around the city for a mall where he spent quite a bit looking for something impressive to wear for his dinner date. He left the mall with a pair of black slacks and shoes, crisp white button up shirt and a blue tie. Even though it had cost him a small fortune for those few articles of clothing Isshin could not help but think it would all be worth it.

The next day nearing the evening Isshin headed out. He had gotten turned around a few times while making his way to the address Masaki had given him, but the friendly locals of Karakura had helped him out every time.

* * *

"This can't be right." Isshin said as he looked up from the piece of paper in his hand to the grandiose building in front of him and back again. The building was so large it took up an entire city block and it was at least five stories high. It had a wide and spacious driveway that lead all the way up to the whitewashed staircase which had a set of beautiful redwood doors that looked much too heavy for one person to open without help. Surrounding the area not occupied with the driveway was a lush garden that was very well maintained. There were even rose beds that grew along the iron fence he was behind that were in full bloom showing off beautiful colors of red white and peach colored petals.

"Damn it…" He sighed and his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"She could have just told me she wasn't interested." He turned to walk away.

He had just started his retreat but the sound of a cough directly behind him stopped Isshin in his track. He turned to look back and spotted a man before the gates.

_'What…the…'_

Isshin was confused as to how he got there so quick when he was sure no one had been anywhere near the gates before. The man standing at the entry to the building was tall with disheveled blond hair, under a bucket hat, and scruffy chin. He was also in a familiar jacket with clogs adorning his feet and in his right hand was the all too recognizable Zanpakuto disguised as a cane.

'_Urahara?'_

"Who are you?" Isshin asked perplexed. Kisuke let out a bark of laughter at the other man's confusion.

"Of course she wouldn't tell you who I am." Kisuke said, "I am Urahara Kisuke, and you are the soldier, of my enemy, who my precious daughter has fallen for." Isshin reeled in shock. He hadn't the faintest idea the woman he had fallen in love with was the daughter of the country's leader… and by default his enemy.

"I decided to come out here and see for myself the man who was able to win my daughter's heart, and I got to say I am not impressed." Kisuke said in a condescending manner while leaning on his cane.

Isshin didn't know what to do, though he did have a question on his mind.

"Um…aren't you kind of young to be Masaki-san father?" Kisuke gave Isshin a peculiar look for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

"Oh my! That was a good one!" Kisuke's rambunctious laughter started to die down. He brought up a finger to his eye and wiped away a tear of mirth before speaking again.

"While I do appreciate the compliment, I will not say that they are accurate because I am much older then I appear to be."

_'How old is he then? I'm so confused.'_

"Now follow me. We wouldn't want to keep my little girl waiting now would we?" Kisuke turned away from Isshin and made his way up to his ridiculously large home. Isshin only took a moment's pause, making sure his tie was straight, before following the other man.

* * *

"There you are!" A young woman with shoulder length brown hair tied in a horse tail came barreling out of one of the many doors in the long passageway of the second floors hall Isshin and Kisuke had been walking through.

"Ah there she is! Kurosaki I would like for you to meet my _sister_ Senna." Kisuke said ignoring his sister's earlier words. Isshin looked on in bemusement as the short girl's face grew red.

"Don't sister me! You were supposed to meet up with your advisors twenty minutes ago!" Senna shouted heatedly. She grabbed Kisuke by the arm and started to drag him away.

"W-wait sister I have to get Kurosaki to Masaki-chan!" Kisuke whined trying to dig his heels into the floor.

"No time we're late and those old fools have been getting on my last nerve!"

"But I don't wanna go!" Kisuke bemoaned as they got farther down the corridor.

"Too bad!" Senna growled and with a final tug the siblings disappeared from Isshin's sight, leaving him alone and lost in the gigantic home.

"What do I do now?" He mumbled to himself.

"Why you wait for me of course." A man said while walking out of one of the many doors located in the hall. He was a tall man, taller than Urahara, with a mustache and cornrows in his dark hair and rectangular glasses. He was dressed in a white shirt that looked two sizes too small a pair of gray slacks with a black apron over it all.

"Hello Kurosaki-san my name is Tessai, and if you would please follow me I can take you to the waiting room." Tessai bowed once then turned back to the door he came through and walked away. Isshin hurried to follow after.

_'…I want to go home now'_

* * *

"Just wait here Kurosaki-san. I will inform Masaki-san of your arrival." Tessai bowed once again before turning and walking out of the room.

Now that he was alone Isshin decided to take a look around. When he had first arrived he had been overwhelmed by the sheer size of the house that he had missed much of the decorum, but he did remember a large foyer with marble flooring and a wide staircase in the middle which was swathed with a red carpet . They had taken that staircase up to the second floor and from there they had passed two gigantic mahogany doors that had led out into the long hallway and its many doors.

The room he was currently in was large and spacious, but Isshin had a sneaking suspicion that all the rooms were, it had a large flat screen TV hanging on the wall opposite of the door. There were three lush couches placed a few feet away from the TV. One of those couches was facing the flat screen while the other two were positioned facing each other. The wall to his left had a window with dark drapes hanging before over it. In front of the same window was a long bar. To his right was a sound system with Karaoke machine.

He walked to the couches and took a seat on the couch facing the other one. That way he would still be able to have one eye on the door.

_'Why am I here? What's so important about this man's life! I have to get back to my life! I have to help my friends! Do you hear me!'_

The door opened once again ten minutes after Isshin was shown into the room. Masaki, who was garbed in a breathtaking strapless cream colored dress that fell just above her knees, walked in her hair was done in curls that framed her face beautifully.

She gave a shy smile at Isshin's stunned expression.

"So you like it then?" She asked demurely. Isshin shook himself out of his stupor and nodded dumbly.

"Yes its beautiful… you're beautiful." He said then chuckled nervously at how corny that had sounded. Masaki gave a light laugh some of her own nervousness fading at his words.

"Well then shall we head out?" She asked not sure what to do with the handsome man. Isshin quickly stood up from his spot and stumbled over to Masaki.

"We should… I can't wait to get to the restaurant the people there are great, plus I would love to see more of Karakura… with you." Masaki smiled at his eagerness. She looped her arm through his and started to lead the way out.

"Well let's see how about after dinner we tour the city park… It's full of wonderful glittering lights that make it seem like there are thousands of firebugs floating around. Or we could visit the-"She was interrupted by a cough from behind her.

Both she and Isshin turned towards the disturbance. Tessai stood in the opening of a door leading to who know where with an apologetic smile.

"Forgive me but Urahara-san had something else he wished to say to you Kurosaki-san." He walked over to the other man and leaned towards his ear and whispered,

"Urahara has a warning for you. Should you hurt his daughter in any way you will pay. He would also like your company sometime this week to talk about certain matters of great importance." Tessai pulled back. He turned to Masaki and bowed. He then walked away from the two.

Isshin turned to his date with a panicky smile.

"So…we should-your dad scares the crap out of me!" Isshin said in a rush with a sheepish grin.

_'Wow… that was so unmanly…'_

Masaki laughed and took Isshin's large hand into her own smaller ones.

"You don't need to worry about him. He's really a nice guy you just have to get to know him." She gave Isshin's arm a small tug.

"Now let's get out of here. We have a dinner to get to remember."

_'Oh Joy'_

* * *

This time when Suì-Fēng woke up it was to a dimly lit room and extreme pain radiating from the stump that used to be her left arm. There was also an incredibly painful heat coming from her back, and from what she could tell through the haze of pain was neither of her injuries were properly tended to.

_'Oh good I'm in the real world… I want to go back… less pain.' _Suì-Fēng thought with a groan.

"Bastards could have at least stitched them up." She growled into the empty room her voice sounded scratchy. She tried to move but found it useless. She was strapped down to a metal gurney that was tilted to a certain degree which almost left her standing upright facing the rusted metal doors of the filthy room she was in. The room had several things in it that worried the young SeeD. One of which was a large computer screen with a control panel just underneath it with hundreds of buttons. On the screen was what she assumed were prison cells being monitored. In one of those cells held the familiar faces of Hitsugaya Matsumoto and Renji.

"Shit…" She whispered worriedly. They didn't look too banged up at least. She looked away from the screen after she determined that Yoruichi and at least three others were nowhere to be seen. She began to look around the room again. This time she noticed thick wires from the panel running into the nearby walls and ceiling. In the center of the room was a large drainage pipe surrounded by spots of a red almost brown substance.

_'Blood'_ she thought with a grimace.

The rusted door in front of her slowly squeaked open.

* * *

Well that's that… Please review and tell me what you think. It would be much appreciated.

Oh and a quick timeline-

Age 4- Suì-Fēng lived with her mother

5- Her mother passes away

8- Sui meets Yoru.

10- Yoru. Moves away

12- Her home is destroyed

O and yeah it's the little bee's B-day!


	19. Welcome to Death's Tower

Chapter Nineteen: Welcome to Death's Tower

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N-

I LIVE!… and I am very sorry for the lack of update(s)… it's just that I'm losing all respect for Bleach (Kubo specifically) and his lack of bringing back all his kickass characters, and the introduction of fullbringers sucks! How the hell are those losers (sorry to their fans) supposed to match up to the Espada and their awesomeness. I mean they're human for god's sake, and considering Sado's power level from the Espada arc, these guys shouldn't be able to stand against any soul reaper really… I don't know I just feel disappointed, but on the bright side I've discovered this awesome manga called Hayate X Blade. It's about an all girls school and sword fighting (two of the greatest combos ever! IMO anyway) Akira/Sae are my favs so far lol. I've also been preoccupied with DA2, or more specifically Isabella…she is smexy 3

Again this is not Beta'ed so please excuse any spelling grammar errors. I try to catch them as best I can.

Anyway onto the story…I hope you enjoy.

* * *

The door opened with the sound of creaking from badly maintained hinges to reveal two men, one which Suì-Fēng recognized very well as the bane of her existence.

"Hello Suì-Fēng how are you feeling this fine afternoon?" Aizen 'asked' in mock concern, all the while sporting his cocky grin, as he looked his battered and bruised hostage up and down. No doubt he took pleasure when gazing at the stump that used to be her left arm.

Suì-Fēng wanted to carve the stupid grin right off the monster's face, but being weaponless strapped down and handicapped put her at a great disadvantage.

She was scared, though she would never admit it to anyone, that she was defenseless and in the hands of a psychopath.

"It's rude to stay quiet when asked a question you know." Aizen spoke again his grin widening, "I guess we'll just have to teach you some manners." Aizen then snapped his fingers and the second man who had walked in with Aizen walked towards the control panel.

The pink haired man dressed in the Las Noches white uniform, and wore boney material shaped like glasses, stood before the panel and stretched out his long slim fingers.

He brought them over the control panel before bringing them down onto the buttons giving the computer its commands. A moment later after he hit what Suì-Fēng thought was the enter command a strong wave of electrical current shot up and down her already broken body causing unimaginable pain, and even though she did not want to give them the satisfaction of hearing her screams. She could not keep them all from getting out.

The shock 'treatment' went on for a few more seconds causing every nerve ending of her body to twitch uncontrollably. When Aizen finally gave the order to stop, Suì-Fēng's throat was raw from her screams. Her breathing came out harsh as she tried to regain control of her abused body.

"You must think me cruel for this, don't you Suì-Fēng?" Aizen asked mockingly. He made his way over to her prone body, lifting his hand Aizen placed it over the shoulder that Starrk had wounded. He squeezed causing Suì-Fēng to cry out in pain.

"You'd be right of course…especially after what you've done to my face." He removed his hand from her shoulder and ran it lightly across the scar on his cheek.

"To think a mere mortal could mark _me_." Aizen growled in fury His eyes narrowing at the memory. He then placed his hand under Suì-Fēng's chin and lifted it up so that she was forced to look upon him. She could barely focus on his face, as everything had started to spin and blur all together in a torrent of colors. She felt his finger run over her own scar gently almost fondly.

"This little memento will not be enough for what you and that _man_ have put me through," Aizen let go of her chin which dropped to her chest in exhaustion, "and he will soon come to realize just how much more powerful I am when he comes to rescue his precious student." With those parting words Aizen turned to walk away, but not before issuing one last order.

"Szayel I want to be able to hear her screams bouncing throughout all the levels of the tower. It would liven up the place quite a bit."

Szayel gave Aizen a sadistic smile then turned back to the panel to carry out his master's plan.

* * *

The room he had woken up in was small dank and bare of any comforts or furnishings. The cold rusted metal floor he had been laying on, there were no mats or beds, left him stiff and uncomfortable. He was glad though when he spotted his two companions in the same cell and relatively unharmed, though he was disappointed that they had somehow been captured.

"Matsumoto, Renji where are we?" The young second in command questioned as he sat up and stretched out the kinks in his back and shoulders.

Renji, who was closest to the metal door, stopped his pacing when he heard Hitsugaya's question and turned to the young man with a relieved smile. Matsumoto too was happy to see the young man conscious. She rushed to his side from the steel sink she had been leaning over deep in thought not moments ago.

"Hitsugaya!" Matsumoto rushed to his side, forgetting to add the suffix, and threw her arms around the young man's shoulders in a hug.

"You're awake; you had me so worried when you both collapsed as we were making our escape. The Las Noches guards were able to capture us shortly after…" Matsumoto rambled, "Worst time to pick for sleep guys." Matsumoto sighed as she loosened her hold on her young friend. "So far they've left us alone in here, for the most part, but there is this one _ugly_ guard with an eye patch who keeps leering at me." Matsumoto shuddered as she remembered the strangely garbed man and the way he had brought his tongue out to lick his lips like she was some piece of meat.

Hitsugaya felt Matsumoto's shudder, and decided then and there he needed to protect her. He prepared to speak.

"Don't worry Matsumoto! Hitsugaya and I won't let anyone hurt you." Said Renji passionately while kneeling before his female companion and thumping his chest with a fist.

Hitsugaya scowled but said nothing as he nodded his head in affirmation.

There was silence in the cell for only a few moments before the creaking of the metal door signaled its opening. Then there was a pained squeak and a small child was kicked in.

"You useless piece of shit." A voice grumbled as a tall man followed through right after, though he just sauntered in like he owned the place.

Renji was on his feet in a flash and by the child's side bringing her into his arms as she whimpered in pain.

She was a strange looking girl wearing dirty mud colored rags. She had a round face large bottom teeth and pretty eyes, which at that moment were full of tears. Running down the girl's forehead to her check was a ragged scar. Last was the Las Noches skull, which was cracked, atop her disheveled moss green hair.

The man who had sauntered in after the girl was tall and very thin. He was in the standard Las Noches white uniform, but it was modified to show off a pale chest with its plunging V neckline and a very large hood that rose over his head.

'He kind of looks like a giant spoon.' Hitsugaya thought as he glowered at the man for his abuse of the young girl.

"Bastard" Renji said through clenched teeth as he held the girl to him protectively.

"What did you hurt her for you sick freak!" Renji demanded the man just stared down his nose at the red head in contempt.

He then gave them a large, sickly sweet, smile that barred all his teeth.

"She annoyed me." He purred.

The three SeeDs were repulsed at the deranged answer.

"If you'd like me to stop, then I guess I could turn my attentions onto better…and more rewarding avenues." The man said while turning his attention onto Matsumoto. Hitsugaya stiffened in barely contained rage as he watched the man's eye wander and settle over Matsumoto's large chest. He felt his friend shiver in disgust.

Hitsugaya's eyes glowed with suppressed power. He rose to his feet and placed himself in front of Matsumoto, blocking the Spoon's view.

"Oh… tough guy huh?" The man said mockingly. He placed his hand over the hilt of his sword ready to draw it.

"GYAHHH!" A pained scream ripped throughout the entire tower causing those in the cell to stop what they were doing in favor of covering their ears as the metal walls of the room amplified the tortured scream tenfold. As the sound died down the prisoners of the tower looked at each other in worry. The pained scream had sounded eerily familiar.

"Ah so Syazal has started…lucky bastard." The man said laughingly while removing his hand from the hilt of his sword.

That's when Renji struck, his fist breaking the man's jaw and knocking him to his ass. Unfortunately the soldier didn't stay down long. He jumped back to his feet almost instantly his hand going to his sword ready to rip it out of its sheath. That's as far as he got before Hitsugaya threw himself atop the sword arm, trapping the weapon and the man's hand with his body.

"Damn brat!" The man growled surprised. He lifted his left arm up ready to strike down on Hitsugaya's exposed neck. Renji jumped him from behind and wrapped his arm around the man's neck while using his other hand to stop the balled fist from descending upon Hitsugaya.

The man struggled within their grasp, Renji was slowly cutting off his oxygen, trying to knock the two prisoners off of him.

Matsumoto stood from her kneeled position and walked over to the three struggling men. She caught the pervert's eye and gave him a glare. She brought her foot back before forcefully planting it between his groin.

There was a strange high pitched squeak and then the man was down.

"Hitsugaya-san quick grab his weapon!" Renji panted, the man's struggles had taken a lot out of him.

Hitsugaya unsheathed the sword and pointed it down at the man's neck.

The guard ignored them all in favor of his damaged goods. Once he mustered up enough energy he glared up at Matsumoto. His eyes promised a slow painful death. She just smirked and flipped her blond locks over her shoulder.

"Y-You defeated Nnoitra…" The young girl, who Renji had set down before the initial attack, whispered in awe as she watched her three new heroes stand over her downed tormentor.

"This scum has a name?" Hitsugaya growled dangerously, pressing the tip of the blade closer to Nnoitra's neck when the man twitched.

"GYAHHH!" Another tormented scream, this one longer and louder, ripped through the cell once again. The little girl flinched and covered her ears and ducked behind Matsumoto's knees.

"They's using shock treatment on's the girl." The child said shivering. She squeaked when she looked up at the faces of her saviors.

"Shock…treatment?" Renji asked his eyes wide in disbelief.

"…On a girl?" Hitsugaya finished his grip on the hilt tightening causing the blade to come up farther into Nnoitra's flesh, the tip cutting into soft skin.

Matsumoto turned to the girl and knelt to one knee, becoming eye level with her. Her complexion was pale at the thought of it being one of her friends.

"Little girl…" Matsumoto began.

"Nel!" The girl interrupted her.

"What?" Matsumoto asked confused and momentarily thrown off from her original question.

"My name is Nel Tu." The girl, Nel, said while pointing to herself her large eyes shining with pride at the name she had given to herself barely a year before.

"Alright…Nel can you tell us who is being…treated?" Matsumoto asked, her voice catching at the last word. Renji shuffled closer while Hitsugaya never took his eyes off of Nnoitra, but he made sure to pay close attention to what the child said…it would determine the one eyed man's fate.

Nel looked to her saviors in concern not fully understanding their trepidation.

"The pretty girl with long braids with hoops at the end," Nel's eyes lowered to the ground, "they broughts her in hurt…she has one arm." Nel said, and then she pointed to her left arm to signify which one was missing. She went on to tell them how she watched the guards wheel the girl into the prison, while she was cleaning, bloodied and broken.

Hitsugaya was stewing in his rage with every passing word the girl spoke until finally he snapped.

"They have Suì-Fēng!" He seethed, glaring at the young girl. Nel squeaked and ducked back behind Matsumoto he then turned his steely gaze onto his downed prisoner. Hitsugaya lifted the blade higher to get Nnoitra to look him in the eye.

"Answer me damn it!" The young man bellowed down at the one eyed man.

"Is that the little bitch's name?" Nnoitra asked with a mocking laugh, a sinister look in his eye as he looked up at Hitsugaya with contempt ignoring the blood dribbling from his neck down his collar and staining his shirt.

Hitsugaya saw red and before his team could stop him he, as quick as lightning, brought the blade up away from Nnoitra's neck only to bring it back down through his head and out the white eye patch on the other end before being forcefully stopped when the blade could no longer penetrate the hard floor effectively skewering the man, who now lay dead, to it where a small puddle of blood began to form on the rusted metal.

Nel screamed in fright as seeing Nnoitra die before her. Renji looked on in grim satisfaction while Matsumoto turned her pale face away from her friend and hugged Nel close to her.

Hitsugaya stared down at his first kill with cold eyes and watched until the puddle reached the tips of his leather soles. He felt nothing only numbness. It wasn't until another gut wrenching scream tore throughout the cell that Hitsugaya snapped out of his daze. He turned to the others and issued an order directed at the young girl.

"You will take us to our weapons and then to our friend," He motioned for her to move towards the door, "So stop hiding and get us there quick." He glowered with fierce determination. Nel could do nothing but nod speechless. She turned from the three and scurried out the door. She stopped just outside the frame and turned back to them.

"Nel can get yous to the armory quick it really close, but hurry or others will come." She turned back to the opening and ran down the hallway. Hitsugaya followed without a word.

Renji and Matsumoto hesitated wondering at their young friend's sanity.

"Let's go Rangiku-san…we'll talk to him once we get out of here and safe." Renji held out a hand to the blond. She took it and her lifted her up. Once he knew she was stable he gently released her hand. Together they made their way out the door.

They did not notice the finger of their downed enemy twitch.

* * *

Yoruichi, who was dressed in her father's 'borrowed' Las Noches officer's jacket and pants modified to fit her, slid the I.D card she had also 'borrowed' from her unconscious father into the access panel. The light over the card reader flashed green and the door slid open to reveal a long hallway that would open up into a round chamber that held all the prison cells of Las Noches. That would also be where all the guards would be.

"Alright guys remember to be inconspicuous, so don't remove your masks keep your mouths shut and leave all the talking to me." Yoruichi whispered from behind a skull mask that covered her chin mouth and nose there was also a thin piece that rose from the center of the nose piece up to her forehead where it spread out into a forehead protector. The only thin visible were her eyes and the skin surrounding them.

The rest of her team, Urahara Ichigo and Rukia, were also in standard Las Noches fatigues and wearing full face masks that just allowed their eyes to show.

They gave Yoruichi an affirmative before following after her into the inner sanctum of Hucho Mundo Prison or HMP for short.

"Whoa…" Ichigo whispered in awe. The inner sanctum of HMP was vast. It was in a circular design from the second level up the ground floor, which they were on at the moment, held the guards break room and many cages where several different Hollow were kept. In the center was a wide thirty foot circular opening that allowed one to look up onto the upper levels of the prison. In the middle of the ground level there was a pit with blood caked sand.

There were a few guards milling around, but none of them paid them much attention though a few had saluted Yoruichi as she passed them all by.

"Yoruichi-san do you know what the purpose of that pit." Rukia asked in a hushed voice while looking upon the pit in disgust. Yoruichi subtly turned to look at the pit. She recalled what her father had told her about HMP.

"_The prison tower is a hundred and ten stories high, forty of which are buried under ground for those prisoners who will receive special treatment, and half a mile wide which is hollowed out at the center to allow viewing of the pit at the ground level. In that pit the scum of the world are pitted against high level Hollow for a chance at freedom," Lord __Shihōin took a moment to let out a cold laugh, "Needless to say no one has ever won."_

That is what makes the people of Las Noches true monsters." Yoruichi told them in a dull tone, she turned away from the pit and began to walk to a set of lift doors. Rukia and Ichigo shared a confused look before following after the dark skinned woman. Urahara stayed behind with a contemplative look on his face as an idea began forming in his head.

* * *

Yoruichi waited for the doors to the lift to open, which left her with a lot to think of.

When they had finally made their escape from Las Noches and the others had not shown up, Urahara had realized that not only had Aizen gotten his hands on Suì-Fēng but he also had Hitsugaya Matsumoto and Renji.

_'Damn it how did it all go to Hell?'_ Yoruichi thought darkly, barely noticing Rukia and Ichigo joining her at the closed doors._ 'I should have been better prepared…instead some grunt gets the jump on me and now Suì-Fēng has been hurt and captured along with three of her friends! If I ever see my father again it won't be just a bat to the face.'_ Yoruichi tensed when the elevator pinged signaling its arrival to their floor. The doors opened to reveal an empty box that was brightly lit and playing some classical music. The last detail left the three wondering what type of person would install something so comforting in a prison.

"Come on lets go." Yoruichi ordered once she shook off the strangeness of hearing the music. She stepped into the elevator with Ichigo and Rukia following closely behind. They turned to face the doors.

"Um…where is Urahara-san?" Ichigo asked as the doors started to close. He looked worried.

Just before the doors closed all the way a cane came between the closing gap.

"He is here!" Urahara exclaimed dramatically as the doors opened once again.

"Urahara-san now is not the time to be funny, nor is it the time to be separated from the others…we cannot afford to be caught." Rukia said with a sigh. Kisuke's jovial expression dropped into a serious frown.

"You're right of course." He said as he stepped into the elevator. "Hey is that Bach…classy" Urahara perked up again as the doors closed behind him and the elevator started its decent into the lower levels of the prison. The other three looked at him strangely and Rukia was once again going to reprimand the strange man except she was interrupted when a scream tore throughout the entire tower.

"Wh-what was that?" Ichigo asked shaken. He looked to the others for answers.

"That's our reason to hurry." Yoruichi told them her eyes glowing with repressed fury. She had recognized the voice the scream had come from and judging from the dark look on Urahara's face he did too.

"Right here's the plan," Urahara began to speak, "I've rigged the release mechanisms of the Hollow cages to open. This will set the beasts free and offer up a distraction, it should also cause the emergency release to the cells to unlock as well if I remember correctly." He looked down at his wrist, where a leather band watch was strapped securely to, and grinned. There was a screech of alarms and lights bathing the elevator in red. An automated voice spoke up telling all officers that the dangerous beasts had escaped and to make their way to the nearest exit.

"Good that's done, but the elevators will stop working so we have to make our way down from here." Urahara said once the lift came to a stop.

"We'll need to split in two for this part to cover more ground. Yoruichi and I will make our way to the bottom floor where Suì-Fēng is most likely at. Rukia and Ichigo, you two will have to make your way back up to the upper levels to search for the others. They'll probably be heading for the armory causing all sorts of trouble. The armory should only be three levels up from here so it won't be too bad, but still keep to the shadows and try to stay out of sight." Urahara said with a small comforting smile playing across his lips.

The doors opened to an eerily empty looking corridor swathed in flashing lights.

"Okay it's time to go." Yoruichi said as she took point. At the end of the corridor a doorway opened up into the large circular center. The group came to a stop at the rail that circled the steep drop. Yoruichi and Kisuke looked for a way down to the lower levels while Ichigo and Rukia looked into one of the many cells.

"Oh my…" Rukia whispered in disgust.

"What the Hell." Ichigo growled as he looked over the short woman, who had stopped short of the cell door.

Urahara stepped next to the young man looking grim as he took in the sight.

"Hucho Mundo…it also goes by the name of 'Death's Tower,' because once you are brought here there is no chance of leaving alive." He turned and left the room and the mutilated corpus of the prisoner who was rotting away in the cell.

"I don't get it." Ichigo said as he followed the other man out while dragging Rukia behind him.

"Why have a release hatch on the cells if the prisoners are here to die."

"They are released as bait Ichigo…those poor souls do not know which way the exits are, and so they wander and end up coming face to face with death." Urahara explained. He came to a stop next to Yoruichi who had found a staircase leading up and down the tower.

"Listen you two this ii where we split up. Search for the others but try to keep out of sight from the guards if you can…if not finish them off quick and try to keep out of the ranked officers sights they are powerful." Yoruichi told the others before heading down the stairs in search of her Little Bee. Urahara gave them a tip of his hat, which he had put on after getting out of the Las Noches uniform in the elevator. He then made his way down the stairs after Yoruichi.

"Well I guess we better go." Ichigo sighed and made his way up the stairs. He hoped they found the others soon and unharmed.

* * *

Tada! Another chapter down…and another dozen or so to go. Thank you to all those who have reviewed, you are my motivation to continue…so drop a review and tell me how I'm doing!

P.S

Has anyone seen the new Bleach anime arch? It's ten times better then the Fullbringers lol, and (fake) Sui's fight with Komamura was awesome lol.

edit. Made one little change to how wide the prison is.


	20. Escape from Death's Tower part one

Chapter Twenty: Escape from Death's Tower part one

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N-

-.-'sorry…

* * *

It hurt…everything hurt; her body was on fire and every nerve ending from head to toe was shot to hell. The worst was at her stump of an arm.

Silent tears ran down Suì-Fēng's cheeks as she prayed for unconsciousness to return. The pink haired monster, who insisted he was a man of science, popped up at her line of sight though it was badly blurred at the moment. He was muttering under his breath as he inspected Suì-Fēng's prone form.

"On a scale of one to ten what would you rate the pain at?" He looked up at his victim expectantly. When nothing was said he turned back to the console.

"So it's a five…well let's see if we can get it to at least an eight." He grinned sadistically at the pained groan. He was preparing his next electrical onslaught when there was an explosion from the doors busting them wide open.

"That's enough!" Yoruichi glowered menacingly as the dust and debris settled around her.

* * *

(before the alarms)

"We here." Nel whispered as she and her three companions stopped behind a corner that was just out of sight of the armory.

Hitsugaya took point and looked around the bend noticing a lone soldier standing at attention next to the metal entrance. He quickly ducked back out of sight.

"Well it's lightly guarded." He told the others with a frown.

"That seems suspicious…shouldn't there be more people around? Renji pondered out loud, his hand stroking his chin in thought.

"Whatever the reason we have to be quick about it and get our weapons." Hitsugaya snapped curtly, and tightened his grip on the foreign sword he had procured from an unsuspecting guard patrolling the halls. With a deep breath Hitsugaya dashed out from around the corner at the lone soldier. With a quick swing of the blade the guard was down in a pool of his own blood.

"Come on let's go!" Hitsugaya yelled back towards the others. Matsumoto gave Renji another anxious look as they made their way passed the body. He too looked worried, but he didn't know what to say anymore. Together they walked into the armory and hopefully would soon be walking out of this hellhole for good.

* * *

Once inside the armory Renji let out a low appreciative whistle. It was huge with hundreds of weapons of different sizes and functions displayed on all the walls big and small with ammo clips located in crates under them, on the racks taking most up most of the floor were staffs lances swords and many other lethal looking weapons all under bright florescent lights.

The three SeeDs followed behind Nel as she led them through the maze of weapons.

"Your weapons are back here." She whispered nervously. She stopped once she reached the back of the room where the group saw their weapons starting up at them like trophies in a glass case.

"Alright let's get our stuff and get the hell out of here." Renji said with a clap of his hands. He made his way over to the case with the intention of opening it.

"W-wait" Nel squeaked as she jumped on top of Renji's arms to stop his momentum.

"What the-" Renji exclaimed as the little girl latched down onto him.

"What's the matter Nel?" Matsumoto asked as she pried the girl off Renji, who had been trying to shake her off.

"Pineapple can't open box or else box will set off alarm, and alarm will bring all the mean people. There will be fighting and hurting and mmph-" Nel was stopped of her rambling when Matsumoto placed a fine manicured hand over the girl's mouth

"Ok Nel we get it opening the case is bad, but do you know how to open it without the alarm going off." Matsumoto asked. Nel shook her head sadly. Matsumoto looked to her friends for ideas.

"We could just let the alarms go off and fight our way out." Renji suggested looking into the case which imprisoned his precious Zabimaru.

"No good all that would do is make it difficult to get to Suì-Fēng ." Hitsugaya said with the ever present frown.

"What if we just-" Matsumoto's plan was thwarted with the sound of loud blaring.

"What is that!" Hitsugaya shouted while tightening his grip on the foreign blade.

"That be the emergency alarms!" Nel yelled over the noise, her hands went up to her aching ears, "Monsters are loose! We need to leave now!" She cried out in fear.

"Damn it!" Hitsugaya growled, nothing had been going as planned since that stupid mission. He was startled to hear shattering glass. Hitsugaya quickly turned to see what happened, and grinned at the innocent look Matsumoto was giving them as she stood over the, now, broken glass case. Her innocent look went to feint shock when she pretended to notice the damage.

"Oh my…well that's convenient. Look Hitsugaya-kun we can get our weapons now." She said with a happy clap and devious smile. Hitsugaya dropped the 'barrowed' sword and made his way over to his weapon. Once his hand wrapped around the hilt of his familiar he felt all the tension melt away and confidence settle in.

_'Welcome back my master.'_ Hyorimaru's soothing voice drifted through his conscious.

"It's good to be back." Hitsugaya whispered. He lifted his sword out of the case and strapped it to his back. He looked back into the broken case and felt a stab of pain as he saw the sheathed Suzumebachi with blood and dirt spattered against the guard and hilt. He had no doubt that the once gleaming blade was in the same condition. He reached into the case and took hold of his friend's familiar. Hitsugaya felt the sorrow and guilt she felt for not being able to protect her master.

"You can make it up to her once you two are reunited with each other," He started to say, "now let's get you back to her." He finished and lifted Suzumebachi away from the case. Hitsugaya felt warmth spread up his arm from Suzumebachi and knew she was thankful for his words.

"It's time to go." Hitsugaya ordered and turned to his companions, both who now had their weapons in their respectful places, they looked confidant and less anxious and ready to take on the world.

"Then let's go!" Renji exclaimed with a feral grin on his face. He turned to the front of the room and rushed out. Hitsugaya let out an exasperated sigh, though it was fake, and followed the tall red head. They ran down the dark halls, Nel on Matsumoto's back, which were flashing red after every warning blare. Renji was the first to reach the end where the corner lay. He did not slow down his pace as he turned the corner and regretted it a second later when he came crashing into another solid body. Both fell to the hard floor with a grunt.

"Bastard!" The man Renji ran into roared in blind rage and jumped to his feet with his sword drawn.

"Tch you're the bastard!" Renji stood and drew Zabimaru ready for a fight.

"Renji wait!" Shouted a smaller figure from behind the masked man.

"Who?" Renji began to question, but his question was halted as the short figure took off her mask and threw her arms around the redhead.

"Eh? Rukia what are you doing here?" He asked bewildered. He awkwardly put his arms around her small frame.

"We're here to save you." She said as she let go of the redhead with a blush and pointed at her companion who had removed his own mask and was glaring daggers at Renji.

"Well you guys took too long so we decided to rescue ourselves." Hitsugaya said as he and Matsumoto turned the corner.

"Hitsugaya, Matsumoto you're both alright." Rukia said joyfully happy that her friends all seemed to be no worse for wear.

"Yes and now that we're all here maybe we can finally make our way out of this death trap." Ichigo said, "If I have to fight one more Hollow I think I'm going to go mad." He grumbled and pulled up the sleeve of his uniform which the former prisoners noticed was shredded, along with most of the Las Noches uniform. Renji noticed that Rukia was in a similar state.

"What happened?" Renji asked concerned. He removed his own brown jacket and draped it over Rukia's shoulders. She blushed faintly and offered him a small thank you.

"Idiot didn't you hear me say that we've been fighting a tower full of Hollows to get to you." Ichigo glowered in irritation. He was half tempted to hit the other man over the head for his stupidity, but thought better of it when Rukia gave him a reprimanding look.

"Urahara has released all the beasts to distract and empty out the tower to make it easier to find you…fortunately we've found you all relatively unharmed, unfortunately Urahara's plan had back fired on us." Rukia sighed tiredly and pointed behind the group to make her point.

The former prisoners looked down the hall they had previously made their escape from and gawked. There were dozens upon dozens of Hollows making their way down the hallway towards them.

"H-how?" Renji asked shocked.

"This place is like a maze, there are hundreds of twists turns and passageways. Now come on we have to go!" Ichigo told them with an irritated sigh. He grabbed Rukia's hand and tugged her in the opposite direction of the beasts.

"Wait we have to find Suì-Fēng first!" Hitsugaya ordered causing the others to halt in their progress.

"Don't worry about her; Urahara and Yoruichi have probably already reached her. We have to get back to the rendezvous point. We'll meet them there." Rukia told him. Hitsugaya looked hesitant for a moment, but reluctantly he nodded his head and followed the others down the hall.

_'I'm sorry Suzumebachi; it looks like you're stuck with me for awhile more.'_ The sword gave a small 'hmm' as if to tell him it would be ok.

* * *

The dust began to settle around Yoruichi's curved form and white energy, a residue of the awesome power she had released to break the doors open, crackled around her fist.

"Well what do we have here?" Szayel asked with a wicked grin. Yoruichi didn't answer, her gaze was fixated on the broken figure of her childhood friend and love interest.

"What's the matter girly, cat got your tongue?" Szayel mockingly asked while drawing his sword. Aizen had said that someone would come for the girl, but he had been expecting a man…

"Oh well I'll just have to have fun with this one."

He took a wide stance, knees bent slightly, and placed his sword in front of him the tip of the blade raised towards the dark skinned woman. Still she paid him no heed.

Yoruichi couldn't take her eyes off of Suì-Fēng . Her eyes roamed over the petite woman's body searching for any signs of life, but she was dismayed to find none other than the twitching of muscles.

'_Please look at me… show me you're alive.'_

Movement from the pink haired man distracted her from farther despairing thoughts. She had a split second to duck under the oncoming sword headed for her neck. The attack left the man's midsection open for a strike of her own.

With fury behind her, Yoruichi swung for the unguarded side and hit home. There was a snapping sound and Szayel jumped back gasping for air and clutching at his side near the ribs.

"You bitch…" He wheezed breathless. Szayel hadn't expected her to be very strong and had planned to use her distraction against her. It looked like he would have to try harder.

"I hope you enjoyed her screams as you were making your way down here." Szayel began, he would use her anger to blind her then he would trap her with his web.

"It was easy really…quite pathetic, she couldn't even go one round without whim-" A solid punch to his jaw shut him up. He stumbled several steps to the side before falling to the ground in a heap.

'_How did she move so fast?'_ Szayel thought surprised. He jumped to his feet and brought his sword up to guard himself from the strike to his abdomen. Yoruichi's fist felt like sledgehammer as it connected to the flat of Szayel's blade.

Both combatants jumped away from each other when they realized neither would give ground.

Yoruichi stood ready for the next attack waiting for Szayel to make his move.

"I'll admit I didn't expect you to be so good, but you're not good enough!"

"**Sip Fornicarus**" Szayel lifted his sword to his lips and swallowed it. A bright light shot up from his mouth causing Yoruichi to lose sight of him for a moment.

When the light, and the strange mist that had appeared, started to fade Yoruichi saw what kind of monster the pink haired man truly was.

The lower half of the man's body became a multitude of purple tentacles with feet extending from under them. A layered dress-like garment also covered his lower half.

His upper body was covered in a gray form fitting outfit with white sleeves extending from his elbows and flaring out at the wrist. His hands were covered in white and slightly elongated.

The mask he had worn as glasses now rested over his brow in a thin band.

Behind his back four, very large, branch like structures grew. From them red drops hung.

"Here I thought you looked stupid before…but you've really taken the cake with this form." Yoruichi said with a smirk. Szayel glowered at the woman, but did not take the bait as Yoruichi had hoped.

"You're mockery shall be punished…whore." Szayel growled. His strange wings spread out from behind him. A moment later they struck out at Yoruichi at lightning speed. Unfortunately for Szayel Yoruichi was much faster.

Again and again he struck out at her, but she would move out of his way in a flicker of movement just before he could hit her.

The pink haired man clenched his fists in frustration.

"Fine woman you wish to play this cat and mouse game with me…then it is time for this cat _to rip you to pieces!_" Szayel roared, his strange wings spread out and a strange black liquid shot out from them in every direction.

Yoruichi was a very fast woman, but even she had difficulty dodging such an attack. A small drop landed on her arm.

She cringed and waited for some form of pain to come about. There was nothing.

She looked up and gave Szayel a bewildered look. He laughed and pointed back at the liquid. Yoruichi watched as the liquid began to expand and take shape, and once it was heavy enough the black blob fell from her arm to the ground.

It developed color and contour. Yoruichi backed away in shock as the thing finally finished taking shape. It had her face her clothes and her trademark grin.

"How…?"

"It's called _carbon copy_, a technique the turn's one into their own worst enemy." Szayel watched smugly as the copy took on a wide stance and prepared to attack. A second later it disappeared only to reappear behind Yoruichi.

Its leg was drawn back ready to kick out at Yoruichi's exposed back. She ducked under the kick and then swung around to punch the copy in the gut. Yoruichi missed as the copy jumped up and over her. It smirked as it spun on its heel and delivered another kick at Yoruichi's exposed side. The kick connected and threw Yoruichi to the ground with a pained grunt.

The copy didn't let up and pushed its attack. It strode over to Yoruichi's downed form and brought its foot up over her. It stomped down into Yoruichi's back. Again and again it brought its foot down on the dark skinned princess' back, not allowing Yoruichi the chance to counter.

The copy prepared for one final bone crushing attack. Its foot started its decent and just as it was about to connect with Yoruichi once more a bright white light and whirlwind of power shot out from her prone form, blowing the clothes at her shoulders into shreds.

"Shunko!"

The awesome power threw the copy back away from her. It fell to the hard floor with a loud thud, the clone's head taking most of the damage.

Yoruichi rose to her feet the power fading around her.

"Bitch…" she grumbled at her downed foe, which melted into a puddle.

Yoruichi turned her attention to Szayel. She frowned once she saw that the man didn't look the least bit perturbed. She prepared to charge the psycho, but it was not to be.

Just as she leaned forward Yoruichi felt a great force emanate from the center of her back. It knocked her out of her stance and onto the grimy floor.

With a curse Yoruichi stood to her feet and turned to where the sneak attack had come from. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw what, or rather who, had struck her with such a cheap shot.

She was gob smacked to see herself once again, but this time there were two familiar grinning faces staring her down.

"What's going on here?"

"Foolish little girl, my brilliance cannot be beat with brute strength. So fight till you cannot fight anymore, I'll just continue to recycle the black mass and use it over again." Szayel said with a malicious grin.

The fakes mirrored his mad grin and rushed forward. Yoruichi was hard pressed to come up with a plan as her clones delivered blow after blow at her.

Their speed and strength matched her own, and they knew all her moves…well almost all. They wouldn't or couldn't perform her shunko.

She smacked the fist coming at her away and followed with a bone crushing right hook to the first fakes jaw. The blow knocked it off its feet and into a heap on the ground. Yoruichi watched it melted away into a puddle which then crawled back to Szayel's feet and took shape again.

Yoruichi breathed raggedly as once again her face appeared on a monster's body which split in two, leaving her facing off against three adversaries who looked like her.

"Finish her already!" Szayel ordered impatiently.

The clones attacked, splitting up to surround her. Yoruichi was able to defend against the first two clones, but she lost track of the third which came at her from behind. Its arms wrapped under her own and over behind her head where it locked its hands together.

This kept her momentarily in place, long enough for the other clones to close in with deadly strikes aimed at Yoruichi's exposed neck.

Yoruichi's eyes widened in shock as the blows connected. The clone behind her let go and Yoruichi dropped to the floor, her hands going to her crushed trachea.

She fell face first onto the rusted floor dead.

"Well done ladies…now go away." Szayel said and with a wave of his hand the fakes dissipated.

* * *

There you have it a new chapter…I hope you all enjoyed it let me know what you think (not beta-ed again sorry for any mistakes). I hope to get the next chapter out as soon as possible, it's written out on paper and everything, I just have to find time.

Oh and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

P.S. I really hate it screws up all my indents and makes everything look like crap when I post it up here. Anyone know how to fix that? Or at least know how I can keep my indents without FF messing with it?


	21. Escape from Death's Tower part two

Chapter Twenty-one: Escape from Death's Tower part two

Disclaimer: Bleach and Final Fantasy VIII and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Square Enix respectively.

A/N-

_Whhhat_ an update, why yes it is. I kind of wanted to get this out by Suì's birthday so yay!

* * *

"We've been waiting for thirty minutes, where are they?" Hitsugaya asked agitated while pacing the spacious garage next to the two hummers they had at the ready. The soldiers who had been guarding the area now stood as frozen statues thanks to Hyorimaru.

"We should give them a bit more time before worrying. This place is huge after all and there are obstacles at every turn." Rukia spoke up from her spot on the passenger's seat of the first hummer

"I agree we should give them at least twenty minutes before we attempt another rescue in the mad house." Ichigo said in agreement with Rukia.

Renji let out a growl from the driver's seat of the same hummer, jealousy reining its ugly head. He was supposed to take care of her, Byakuya had asked him to. He had failed once already. He wouldn't fail twice and let that orange headed upstart show him up.

Hitsugaya turned his head to the doors when they started to open. He thought it was the others finally showing up, but his happiness was short lived once he saw the white of Las Noches and the face of evil incarnate.

"How?" Hitsugaya exclaimed in shock. The man standing in the open doorway cackled madly.

"Did you really think you could beat me?" He strode forward and lifted a familiar looking sword.

"This was a bitch to get out, but now that it is I figured that since you skewered me I would return the favor… _Resurrección_!" A powerful maelstrom of wind shot out from Nnoitra's body and across the garage. When it settled the group looked on in shock as the dirt began to settle.

Nnoitra stood before them with four arms, each of which was holding a large deadly looking scythe.

"Che, I don't know how you survived last time, but I'll make sure you stay down this time!" Renji shouted and drew Zabimaru from it sheath.

"Growl Zabimaru!" Renji exclaimed as he lunged at Nnoitra. He ignored Hitsugaya's order to stop and Rukia's worried voice telling him not to do it.

Renji threw his sword arm forward and Zabimaru disconnected and elongated heading straight for Nnoitra.

The monster of a man just grinned and swiped at Zabimaru once it got close enough, changing its trajectory and hitting the ground away from him.

Nnoitra then launched himself at Renji and brought two of his massive blades down on him. Renji didn't have enough time to retract Zabimaru. He watched helplessly as the weapons came down upon him. He closed his eyes and prepared for the inevitable.

There was the sound of blade meeting blade.

Renji opened one eye and gapped.

Ichigo stood in front of him, his huge sword keeping both of Nnoitra's blades at bay.

"Next time don't go rushing off like that you moron!" Ichigo shouted over his shoulder as he pushed Nnoitra's weapons away. Hitsugaya jumped over their shoulders, his sword held high over his head. He swung it forward and large ice shards flew at the four armed man.

Nnoitra didn't even bother moving as the ice hit him head on and just shattered once they made contact with his skin.

"My turn!" He said then laughed sadistically.

"Wrong it's mine!" Said a voice from behind him, he turned to face his challenger but didn't get farther than that when a large ash storm surrounded him. The three males watched as Matsumoto reigned down retribution on the one eyed man. Haineko's attack was so fierce that they were certain that there would be nothing left of Nnoitra once the dust settled.

After about a minute of the onslaught she recalled her attack, and as the thousands of ash particles moved away from the spot the group was shocked to see that Nnoitra was still standing.

Not only was he still standing they realized that there was no damage done to him, though his cloths were in shreds meaning he had not moved from that spot.

"Is that it?" Nnoitra asked bored. When no one answered he chuckled darkly. "Alright then let me show you what true power is." He lifted all four arms into an attack stance and charged the SeeD's.

_'Damn it!'_ Hitsugaya thought darkly as he blocked the first two strikes while Ichigo took care of the other two. Renji went in for the attack. Zabimaru distended and struck home at the center of Nnoitra's chest. He growled in frustration as there was no effect on the man.

_'What do we do if we can't even land a proper hit on him?'_ Hitsugaya ducked under another blade swing, and Matsumoto struck from behind and concentrated the attack at the center of Nnoitra's back.

Nothing, not even a scratch, just a hole in the fabric of his cloths.

_'How were you able to defeat him last time my master?'_ Hyorimaru's voice whispered through Hitsugaya's consciousness.

_'No that won't work'_ Hitsugaya thought as he remembered the last time they had put Nnoitra down.

The SeeDs regrouped near the first hummer once they realized their attacks had absolutely no effect against their enemy.

"How the hell are we supposed to beat him when none of our attacks can cut through his _hierro_." Ichigo growled in frustration as he watched Nnoitra make his way over to them at a leisurely pace.

The man was in no hurry to stop his fun, and they would be dead soon enough.

"We need to go for his eyes." Renji offered while gripping the handle of his sword a bit harder turning his knuckles white.

"That won't work, we tried that already and it didn't work. We even used his own sword…" Hitsugaya reasoned tensing farther once Nnoitra was only five feet away from them.

"Ready to die!" Nnoitra's sadistic smile grew tenfold as he prepared to rush the group.

"Kamisori, Benihime."

A crimson slash tore through the room, cutting everything in its path including the protected flesh of Nnoitra's back.

The one eyed man gasped in shocked pain, and rigidly turned his head towards the source of the powerful attack.

He was greeted with the solemn look of gray eyes. Nnoitra fell forward and landed face down. Once again surrounded by a pool of his own blood.

Hitsugaya and the others turned away from their felled foe and looked towards where the attack had come from.

"Sorry we're late…our resident princess decided she wanted to play with her prey." Urahara said while pointing a thumb over his shoulder.

That was when the group noticed Yoruichi standing behind Urahara cradling the unconscious body of Suì-Fēng to herself.

"Stop kidding around. I only took so long so _you_ could get Suì out of that infernal contraption." Yoruichi said aggravated and passed the hated man towards the first hummer. She gently placed Suifeng in the back.

The wounded woman let out a groan, but did not wake up. She brushed a stray strand of hair from the young woman's face and tenderly placed a kiss to her forehead.

"We need to get out of here; genius over there set this place to blow at any minute now." Yoruichi then took a seat and made sure to put Suì's head over her lap.

The others shook of their surprise and hurried into the hummers. Once everyone was strapped in the armored vehicles took off on screeching tires.

* * *

They were only half-a-mile away from the prison when an explosion rocked them forward in their seats.

Urahara fought the wheel of the first hummer trying to keep in control. The second hummer skid past them and almost went wheels over roof, but Renji was able to stabilize the vehicle and come to a stop.

Urahara let out a puff of breath and looked back to check on Yoruichi and Suì. He was happy to see that both women were still in their seats. Yoruichi had a protective hold of Suì's shoulders keeping the younger woman from flying off the seat and into farther injury. He noticed the stink-eye Yoruichi was giving him and smiled apologetically. He then turned to Rukia and let out a nervous laugh at her death grip on the dashboard.

'_That was to close, next time I'll be sure to add a few extra seconds.'_

'_There wouldn't need to be a next time if you had taken care of that fool in the first place.'_ The silky voice of his familiar drifted across his conscious.

Urahara's expression darkened but shook it off quickly when he realized he needed to check on the others.

* * *

Renji was helping Rukia out of the back seat when Urahara hopped out of the first hummer and walked over to them. Ichigo was leaned over on the other side being violently sick, and Matsumoto was desperately trying to get a weeping Nel off her blessedly big breast.

Urahara heard the door to the second hummer open and then the stomping of feet.

Hitsugaya stopped a yard short of the blond man.

"Are you mad? We could have all been killed with that stunt you pulled!"

The others stopped what they were doing to listen.

"Releasing Hollows and activating bombs and…and…what the hell happened to you?" The irate young man asked when he noticed the deep laceration on Urahara's shoulder. Kisuke looked down at the wound and shrugged his good shoulder.

"I had a run in with a former student of mine…we had a chat and then a brawl. I would at this time like to make an announcement," there was a dramatic pause, "I am still better then Sosuke Aizen!" Urahara posed in a ridicules manner and grinned.

The others sighed at his antics. Hitsugaya turned to the first hummer and made his way over to the back seat.

"How is she?" He asked worriedly once he reached the door.

Yoruichi looked up from her task of wiping Suì's brow when the white haired youth spoke.

"She's alive, but badly hurt. The trap my fa- that Las Noches bastard set up cost Suì an arm and a gunshot wound to the back. It may be infected. We need to get her to a doctor soon." Yoruichi turned back to Suì and looked to the stump of her arm and felt a stab of guilt.

_'This is all my fault. I should have known that man would do something like this. I'll never be able to make this up to you Suifeng but I swear I'll try to anyway.'_

"Don't worry Yoruichi we'll head back to the Garden and have Dr. Unohana take care of her." Hitsugaya turned to give out the orders to move out, but an explosion of sound halted him.

He watched, along with the others, as several missiles were launched from over the mountain.

"Shit!" Urahara growled. He quickly turned for the first hummer and gave out orders.

"Shit, I should have seen this coming. SeeDs gather round we have a problem." The young SeeDs quickly gathered around their senior officer and the first hummer, a nervous energy running through them all.

"We got a problem. Those missiles were aimed toward the Northeast. The only point of interest is a Garden." Rukia let out a stunned gasp. If that was true then her old school had just been attacked.

"Aizen is declaring war, and I've no doubt that the next target is Seireitei Garden. We need to stop that from happening, but Suì-Fēng is severely injured and needs medical attention. We will need to split off into two teams."

He watched the serious looks on the young men and women faces and quickly made a decision on who would go where.

"Hitsugaya you will take Renji Rukia and Ichigo. You will take the hummer and infiltrate the next launch." Kisuke watched Hitsugaya nod and give out the order to move out. Without hesitation the four moved as one and headed for the second car.

Within seconds everyone was seated and driving away in the direction of the L.N. base, a cloud of dust billowing in their wake.

_'Stay safe'_ Thought Urahara. He walked back to the first hummer and called over his shoulder.

"Come on Matsumoto we have to get home as soon as possible." He got in the driver's seat.

Matsumoto looked out at the open space where Hitsugaya's team had driven off and gave a small prayer.

"Come on Nel let's get out of here." She turned and walked over to the hummer. Nel offered her own prayer and followed after her new friend.

Once everyone was settled Urahara started the engine and drove off in the direction of District Seventy-eight and their train station.

They had a long way to go and a short time to get there.

* * *

So like usual this isn't beta-ed, so if there are any mistakes please, _please_ let me know so that I can fix it. Next chapter will most likely focus on Hitsugaya's team, and after that we'll get to the explanation on how Yoruichi survived (though most of you probably could guess) and Urahara's confrontation with Aizen. So stay tuned.

Oh and a very heartfelt thank you to all those who have reviewed I love you guys.

-K


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